THE 

FEARSOME 

ISLAND 


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J        THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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The  Fearsome  Island 


The 

Fearsome  Island, 

Being  a  Modern  Rendering 
of  the  Narrative 

QF  one  Silas  Fordred,  Master  Mari- 
ner of  Hythe,  whose  shipwreck  and 
subsequent  adventures  are  herein  set 
forth.  Also  an  appendix  accounting  in  a 
rational  manner  for  the  seeming  mar- 
vels that  Silas  Fordred  encountered 
during  his  sojourn  on  the  fearsome  is- 
land of  Don  Diego  Rodriguez. 

By  Albert  Kinross. 


CHICAGO: 
Printed  for  Herbert  S.  Stone  &T  Com- 
pany at  the  Chap-Book  offices  in  the 
Caxton  Building.    i8p6. 


COPYRIGHT,  1896,  BY 
HERBERT  S.  STONE  *  CO. 


6021 
^6  24f 


DEDICATION. 


Dear  Zangwill, 

I  have  to  thank  you  for  so  much  in  the 
past,  present,  and  I  think  I  may  venture  on 
prophesy  and  say  the  future.  Kindly  accept 
this  inscription  as  some  small  token  of  that 
gratitude.  As  for  the  book,  I  fear  its  con- 
tents will  surprise  you  as  much  as  they  sur- 
prised 

Yours  most  sincerely, 

ALBERT  KINROSS. 

January,  1896. 


G3193S 


THE    PREFACE. 

TN  the  reproduction  of  this  narrative  it 
was  my  intention  to  modernise  the 
English  of  the  original  version.  I  am  no 
great  scholar,  being  more  interested  in 
the  humanity  of  things  than  in  their  aes- 
thetics ;  and,  in  the  retelling  of  this  story, 
I  find  that  I  have  been  completely  over- 
powered by  the  original  version,  so  that 
the  language  in  which  this  history  is  here 
set  forth  is  no  language.  I  have,  however, 
let  it  stand,  as  I  feel  that  the  leisurely 
dialect  that  I  have  instinctively  adopted 
is  more  in  keeping  with  the  character 
and  surroundings  of  Silas  Fordred  than 
the  crisp,  clear-cut  phraseology  of  to-day. 


The    Pr efac e  . 

Also  in  the  original  manuscript  were 
many  coarse  phrases  that  I  have  all  but 
eliminated  ;  should  one  or  two  such  have 
crept  into  this  version,  will  the  indulgent 
reader  kindly  pass  them  by,  merely  regard- 
ing such  in  the  light  of  landmarks  of  a 
day  that  was  wont  to  express  its  thoughts 
and  sentiments  with   no  uncertain  voice. 

ALBERT  KINROSS. 

Hampstead,  i8p6. 


INTRODUCTION 

I  WAS  staying  down  at  Hythe  last 
winter,  and,  among  other  occupa- 
tions, I  found  time  to  assist  my  very 
good  friend  Cobb,  Town  Clerk  of  the 
old  cinque  port,  in  sorting  a  mass  of 
ancient  documents  but  recently  discov- 
ered in  a  musty  chest  that  Back  the 
beadle  had  stumbled  across  in  the  Town 
Hall  cellar.  These  papers  were,  for 
the  most  part,  connected  with  the  bus- 
inesses transacted  by  Cobb's  remotest 
predecessors;  with  meat  and  drink  fur- 
nished at  the  Lord  Warden's  banquets, 
and  tithes  paid  to  his  Grace  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  Our  national 
enemy  across  the  channel  had  given 
the  worthy  Councillors  of  those  days 
much  food  for  thought,  and  there  were 


Introduction 

many  accounts  of  moneys  spent  with 
the  object  of  offensive  and  defensive 
chastisement  to  be  inflicted  on  that 
relentless  foe. 

But,  among  all  these  documents, 
many  of  which  might  possess  great 
interest  for  the  antiquarian  or  social 
economist,  there  was  one  that  I  read 
and  re-read  thrice  before  imparting  its 
contents  to  my  good  friend  Cobb ;  or 
stay,  such  rather  was  my  intention, 
but,  on  second  thoughts,  I  carefully 
placed  the  time-worn  sheets  in  my 
ulster  pocket  —  there  was  quite  a  bun- 
dle of  them  —  and  here  in  town  I  am 
turning  into  modern  English  what  Silas 
Fordred  penned  with  great  labour  and 
difficulty  in  the  days  of  good  Queen 
Bess. 

Fordred  shall  tell  his  own  story,  and 
you,  my  readers  (among  whom  I  hope 
friend  Cobb  will  occupy  a  foremost 
place,)  believe  or  doubt!  The  story 
rings  honest  and  the  truth  was  more  in 


Introduction 

favour  in  those  days  than  in  this  scep- 
tic age. 

Here  follow  the  time-stained  papers 
of  Silas  Fordred  worked  up  into  a  nar- 
rative of  some  literary  merit ;  for  style 
and  polish  had  he  none,  this  blunt 
mariner  of  yester-year. 

For  want  of  a  better  title,  and  I  hold 
that  all  things  should  have  a  distinctive 
name,  I  have  headed  this  narrative: 

The 

Fearsome    Island 

Before  the  assembled  Town  Council 
of  Hythe  Borough  I  have  read  and  set 
my  name  to  this  true  statement  of  what 
befell  me  in  my  last  voyage  to  the  South- 
ern Seas.  If  any  there  be  that  doubt,  let 
them  go  down  to  my  house  in  Stade 
Street  and  inspect  the  strange  barque 
that  carried  me  from  the  Fearsome 
Island  to  the  good  ship  Queen  Marie 
that  brought  me  hither.  Further,  have 
I  not  shewn  you  vessels  of  gold  that 
3 


Introduction 

were  in  the  Dark  Chamber,  likewise 
the  thirteen  great  diamonds  that  hung 
round  the  neck  of  the  bronze  idol? 
Also  have  you  seen  the  knife  of  Span- 
ish steel  with  the  round  ruby  at  its  hilt 
and  the  two  fangs  that  broke  on  my 
hand  from  the  mouth  of  the  Hag  of 
Turret?  The  captain  and  seamen  of 
the  ship  Queen  Marie  have  spoken 
of  the  hairy  man  that  was  a-dying 
when  I  was  discovered  afloat  and  with- 
out food.  What  I  have  written  is  true 
on  my  oath  and  by  my  hope  of  enter- 
ing heaven. 

(Signed)  Silas  Fordred. 
Witnessed  by 

Evan  the  Welshman, 
Town  Clerk, 


Chapter  I 

ON  the  third  day  of  June,  1558, 
Mary  that  was  called  Bloody 
being  then  our  Queen,  Thomas  Snoad 
and  I  set  out  from  Hythe  for  the  great 
port  of  Dover,  where  lay  the  ship 
Brave  Luck  that  we  had  jointly  pur- 
chased to  trade  with  for  our  own 
profits  and  benefaction.  Previously, 
both  of  us  had  been  in  the  employ  of 
Deedes,  the  great  London  merchant, 
who  hath  more  ships  than  I  have  toes 
or  fingers.  We  rose  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, so  that  when  we  reached  Dover 
the  sun  was  close  on  midday  and  we 
were  greatly  athirst.  Straightway  we 
boarded  our  ship,  in  whose  cabin  was 
meat  and  drink  in  plenty,  and,  our 
appetites  being  stilled,  we  went  into 
Dover  town  to  prepare  for  the  voyage 
5 


The  Fearsome  Island 

we  were  about  to  undertake.  That 
same  day  we  engaged  fourteen  seamen 
and  three  boys,  also  a  black  man  from 
beyond  the  Middle  Sea  who  was  re- 
puted to  cook  exceeding  well  and  with- 
out causing  an  over-great  stink. 

Our  cargo  we  put  aboard:  child's 
things  from  Chepeside,  and  horns  that 
would  make  music;  also  cloth  stuffs 
for  such  as  wear  garments,  and  good 
bows  and  arrows  and  broadswords  for 
them  that  love  to  fight. 

At  the  eleventh  hour  and  before  we 
hove  anchor  I  bethought  me  of  Dick 
Whittington,  that  was  thrice  Lord 
Mayor  of  London,  and  I  hied  back  to 
the  town  and  bought  two  cats  that 
were  with  kitten,  also  a  Tom-cat,  ex- 
ceeding fierce  and  black,  that  was  sold 
me  by  a  witch  and  had  eaten  man's 
flesh. 

That  night  we  slept  on  board,  greatly 
tired,  for  we  had  been  astir  since  sun- 
rise putting  chests  and  bales  in  the 
6 


,   The  Fearsome  Island 

hold,  and  it  was  on  the  second  morn- 
ing after  quitting  Hythe  that  we  set 
sail  and  passed  down  the  Channel  on 
our  way  to  Grand  Canary  and  the 
Southern  Seas. 

It  were  idle  to  write  here  what  befell 
during  the  first  two  months  of  our  voy- 
age, that  in  all  things  greatly  resem- 
bled other  voyages.  Fair  winds  and 
pleasant  trade  with  good  profits  were 
our  lot. 

The  Negro  cook  was  of  a  merry 
mood  and  amused  us  hugely,  for  he 
could  dance  and  sing  and  make  agree- 
able noises  with  pieces  of  wood  held  in 
his  hands,  and  his  smile  was  wide  as 
the  smile  of  a  crocodile.  Nor  was  he 
idle  at  his  business,  for  he  could  prepare 
excellent  dishes,  many  of  which  were 
new  and  unknown  to  us,  and  therefore 
the  pleasanter. 

We  touched  at  the  Gold  River  that 
runs  into  the  ocean  on  the  West  of 
Africa,  and  spent  some  days  bartering 
7 


The  Fearsome  Island 

for  gold  dust,  ivory,  and  palm  oil.  It 
was  here  that  our  cook,  the  black 
knave,  played  us  a  scurvy  trick. 
When  we  set  sail  once  more,  that  foul 
Indian  was  nowhere  to  be  found,  and 
we  were  without  cook.  And  then  I 
remembered  that  he  had  said  that  his 
home  was  in  these  parts.  He  had  de- 
ceived and  deserted  us,  and  his  soul 
was  black  as  his  skin. 

From  the  Gold  River  we  sailed  south 
along  the  coast,  and  went  ashore  at 
many  places,  till  we  reached  a  harbour 
from  whence  we  could  see  a  mountain 
with  a  flat  top  like  a  table.  We  had 
bartered  away  all  our  cargo  and  there 
was  no  further  cause  to  prolong  our 
voyage,  so  here  we  turned  our  ship's 
head  and  sailed  joyfully  North. 

On  the  third  day  of  journeying 
homewards  great  gales  began  to  blow ; 
for  six  days  and  six  nights  we  ran  with 
bare  masts  before  the  winds,  and  only 
God  on  high  knew  in  what  sea  we  were, 

8 


The  Fearsome  Island 

and,  though  we  prayed  at  morn  and 
eve,  He  told  us  naught. 

On  that  sixth  day  methought  the 
world  would  end,  for  there  were  huger 
seas  about  us  than  any  I  had  ever  seen 
before.  The  hold  was  full  of  water, 
and  I  wept  bitter  tears  as  wave  after 
wave  broke  over  Snoad's  ship  and  mine. 

"  Beshrew  me,"  said  I  to  Thomas, 
my  partner,  '*  our  cargo  will  suffer 
damage  —  the  palm-oil  runs  to  waste. ' ' 

"  Aye,"  said  Snoad,  "  'tis  I  who 
feel  each  drop  that  spoils,  even  as 
thou,"  and  he  shook  his  bare  head, 
and  the  great  tears  stood  in  his  eyes, 
for  Snoad  was  a  man  of  much  thrift, 
though  unmarried. 

The  great  cat  that  had  eaten  man's 
flesh  was  sore  afraid,  its  hair  stood 
erect  on  its  back  and  its  eyes  shone 
like  burnished  brass.  And  in  the 
night  of  that  day,  as  Thomas  Snoad 
and  I  were  praying  for  light  and  a 
smooth  sea,  for  we  had  neither  slept 
9 


The  Fearsome  Island 

nor  eaten  save  upright  all  the  six  days, 
an  huger  wave  than  all  curled  and 
splintered  into  a  thousand  pieces  over 
us,  and  the  water  stung  our  faces  like 
a  shower  of  broken  glass,  while  the 
ship  Brave  Luck  swayed  like  a  man 
drunk  with  ale,  and  its  bow  rose  high 
into  the  air  above  our  heads. 

u  God  save  us,  Snoad!  "  said  I. 

'*  Amen!  "  said  Snoad,  and  though 
we  shouted,  our  voices  were  as  a  whis- 
per. We  could  hear  the  seamen  call 
on  Mary  that  is  the  Virgin  and  Jesus 
who  died  on  the  Cross,  and  some  knelt, 
while  others  threw  their  arms  above 
their  heads  and  trembled  with  the  fear 
of  death.  There  were  wild  eyes  around 
us,  and  faces  drawn  and  terrible  as  the 
faces  of  wild  beasts  that  are  mad  with 
hunger  and  evil  passion.  I  saw  these 
things  as  in  a  dream,  for  they  moved 
me  not  overmuch,  and  the  men  about 
me  were  not  men  as  I  had  known  them, 
and  nothing  was  real  till  the  ship  fell 
ip 


The  Fearsome  Island 

from  under  us  and  we  were  in  the 
waters,  Snoad  and  I,  in  a  valley  'twixt 
mountains  of  water,  now  rising  to  the 
crest,  now  falling  deep,  like  balls  of 
down  in  an  autumn  wind.  We  could 
see  the  heads  of  the  others  bobbing 
like  black  corks,  and  overhead  in  the 
sky  we  saw  the  lightning  glitter  and 
run,  while  in  our  ears  the  thunder 
boomed  death  knells.  It  was  a  brave 
yet  awful  sight,  and  I  think  that  hell 
can  contain  nothing  more  terrible  than 
that  black  sea,  with  the  black  faces 
bobbing  through  the  darkness,  through 
which  the  lightning  swished  like  a 
rapier  of  cold  gold.  Over  the  hold  of 
our  ship  had  been  a  cover  of  wood  with 
handles  of  rope  and  two  yards  long 
and  broad.  This  cover  I  made  out 
bearing  down  on  me.  I  reached  out  a 
hand,  and  my  arm  was  fast  twisted  in 
the  rope  ere  the  next  wave  could  bear 
me  from  this  raft.  Snoad  was  at  my 
side. 


The  Fearsome  Island 

"  Give  me  your  hand,  Snoad,"  I 
shouted,  but  he  could  not  hear  my 
voice  above  the  wind  and  waves  that 
roared  like  many  lions.  I  reached  out 
my  other  arm  and  caught  the  top  of 
his  jerkin — 'twas  of  good  stout  leather, 
— and  he  looked  at  me  (his  head  was 
like  a  painting  of  John  the  Baptist's 
head  on  a  platter)  and  spat  water  from 
his  mouth. 

' '  God  save  thee,  Fordred !  ' ' 

I  saw  the  words  on  his  lips  but  heard 
naught. 

"  Amen!  "  said  I,  and  we  clung  to- 
gether for  the  dear  life  for  weary  minute 
after  minute ;  and  when  at  last  the  grey 
dawn  broke,  there  was  land  not  over 
far  from  us,  and  the  waves  were  bear- 
ing us  thither  at  great  speed.  As  we 
neared  the  shore  we  let  go  of  our  raft, 
and,  taking  what  little  strength  re- 
mained to  us,  we  swam  on  by  ourselves 
till  a  huge  breaker  flung  us  heavily  on 
the  beach.  We  picked  ourselves  up 
12 


The  Fearsome  Island 

again  —  it  was  a  joyful  feeling,  this 
standing  once  more  upright  on  our  legs 
—  and  went  inland  beyond  the  sea's 
reach. 

We  cast  off  our  dripping  garments 
and  knelt  naked  to  pray  a  thanksgiv- 
ing, but,  we  were  so  tired  and  ex- 
hausted that  we  fell  down  close  to- 
gether, our  legs  refusing  their  office, 
and  we  slept  thus  in  the  grey  dawn, 
naked  and  worn  out.  The  far-off  lands 
are  warmer  than  ours,  so  we  feared  not 
to  be  sick  by  thus  lying  bare  under 
the  open  sky. 

So  we  fell  asleep,  a-weary  from  our 
toil  and  watching,  and  we  lay  quite 
still  till  the  noonday  sun  smote  on  our 
eyelids.  When  we  awoke,  the  sky  was 
deep  blue,  the  winds  had  ceased  to 
rage,  and  the  sea  had  grown  calm  and 
serene,  so  that  we  felt  like  two  that 
had  dreamed  an  evil  dream  and  were 
but  newly  awakened.  There  was  a 
pinching  feeling  at  our  stomachs;  we 
13 


The  Fearsome  Island 

had  fasted  for  many  hours,  and  what 
we  had  lately  eaten  was  of  no  great 
moment.  Snoad  and  I  arose  and 
walked  inland  to  where  there  were 
trees  with  strange  fruits  such  as  grow 
in  distant  lands,  and  we  sat  in  the 
branches  of  one  such  and  ate  from  a 
great  gourd  we  had  found  at  its  foot. 
I  looked  at  Snoad  and  saw  that  he  was 
naked. 

"  Friend  Snoad,"  said  I,  "  where 
be  thy  garments?  for  surely  thou  dost 
bear  thee  as  Adam  when  in  the  Garden 
of  Eden." 

"  Friend  Fordred,"  cried  Snoad, 
"  look  to  thyself!  " 

And  I  looked,  and  I  too  was  naked ! 
Then  I  looked  up  at  Snoad,  but  he  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen ;  and  I  looked  down 
at  Snoad,  and  he  was  fallen  from  the 
branch  with  over-much  laughing  and 
lay  now  a-rolling  on  his  back  with  a 
full  mouth  and  great  tears  on  his 
cheeks. 


The  Fearsome  Island 

"  Silas  Fordred!  "he cried,  "wouldst 
thou  choke  me?  " 

And  I  too  laughed  till  I  dropped 
from  my  branch  on  to  Thomas  Snoad's 
stomach. 

u  Nay,  we  will  both  choke,"  I  said, 
and  began  to  laugh  anew;  but  Snoad 
was  silent  for  he  had  no  wind. 

After  we  had  eaten  we  walked  slowly 
back  to  the  spot  where  lay  our  clothes, 
dry  but  marvellous  small  from  the 
water  and  the  hot  sun.  And  then  we 
went  down  to  the  sea  all  smooth  and 
smiling. 

"  God  save  us,  Fordred!  "  said 
Snoad,  "  where  be  we?  " 

11  Aye,  where  be  we?  "  I  answered, 
and  we  shook  our  heads  and  looked 
around  and  upwards;  and  as  we 
looked,  what  should  we  see  but  a  huge 
idol,  a  great  figure,  shining  and  of 
bronze,  such  as  mariners  say  are  wor- 
shipped in  the  isles  beyond  Kathay 
that  are  called  Nipong.  We  both 
*5 


The  Fearsome  Island 

rubbed  our  eyes,  so  as  to  make  sure 
that  we  saw  true.  Aye,  there  was  the 
figure,  a  great  woman  with  a  calm  face, 
and  neither  shift  nor  other  garment. 
For  eyes  there  were  broad  holes,  and 
in  and  about  these  hollow  sockets  flew 
sea-birds,  and  they  perched  on  her 
breasts,  on  her  knees,  and  about  her 
feet. 

"  Good  Fordred,"  said  Snoad,  "  if 
that  be  god  of  these  parts  let  us  make 
obeisance,  it  may  be  fitting  and  proper 
that  we  should." 

"  Nay,"  said  I,  in  a  stern  voice  and 
loud,  u  Thomas  Snoad,  rather  let  us 
cross  ourselves  and  pray  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  who  hath  just  saved  us  from 
death  by  drowning!  " 

"  Thou  art  right,  good  Fordred," 
he  replied;  and  we  repeated  the  Lord's 
Prayer  twice,  for  'twas  the  only  prayer 
that  we  could  repeat  from  memory. 

After  that  we  walked  closer  to  the 
idol  with  stout  hearts  and  unafraid,  and 
16 


The  Fearsome  Island 

we  looked  into  its  face,  to  its  great 
nose,  and  the  holes  that  were  eyes,  and 
to  its  neck — and  on  its  neck  hung 
stones  that  sparkled,  big  stones  all 
white  and  glistening  as  I  have  seen  the 
diamond  stones  shine  in  a  goldsmith's 
shop,  only  these  stones  were  larger 
than  any  that  I  had  ever  seen  before, 
and  I  have  been  to  the  Tower  of  Lon- 
don, and  seen  the  great  ruby  that  was 
in  the  crown  of  King  Harry  of  Agin- 
court. 

44  Those  be  diamonds,"  said  Snoad. 

44  I  will  not  say  ye  nay,"  I  replied. 

Then  we  looked  again,  up  and  down, 
and  at  the  feet  of  the  great  figure  were 
human  bones,  skulls  and  leg  bones,  and 
ribs  and  arms. 

1 '  See  ye  those,  friend  Snoad  ?  "  I 
asked. 

14  Yea,  I  see  them;  they  be  human 
sacrifices.  I  have  heard  tell  of  such 
among  those  that  be  heathens." 

Thomas  Snoad  was  one  that  always 

17 


The  Fearsome  Island 

had  answer  and  explanation  at  his 
tongue's  tip,  even  though  he  knew 
nothing  of  the  matter  in  hand.  This 
was  his  great  weakness — a  small  thing, 
for  he  was  as  gallant  a  seaman  as  ever 
trod  a  ship. 

We  looked  once  more,  and  all  the 
skeletons  were  broken  across  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  upper  parts  lay  here  and 
the  lower  parts  lay  there. 

"See  ye  that,  friend  Snoad?"  I 
asked,  and  my  thoughts  went  back  to 
the  bones  that  are  in  the  crypt  of  the 
Hythe  Church. 

"  Yea,"  he  made  reply  (as  was  his 
wont),  "  'tis  most  like  to  be  their  man- 
ner of  offering  sacrifice." 

And  for  a  few  moments  we  stood 
wondering  what  manner  of  god  this 
might  be,  and  whose  were  the  bones 
that  lay  all  white  at  its  feet. 

Again  our  eyes  lighted  on  the  great 
white  stones  that  sparkled  more  than  a 
woman's  eyes. 

18 


The  Fearsome  Island 

"  They  be  for  us,"  said  Snoad. 
"  Wilt  climb  and  take  them?  'Tis 
easy  to  reach.  Mayhap  there  will 
come  worshippers  ere  long  and  'twill 
be  too  late." 

'*  Be  wise,  friend  Snoad,"  said  I, 
' '  and  think  thyself  of  good  luck  should 
the  worshippers  not  offer  thee  up  as  a 
sacrifice.  The  diamonds  can  wait,  and, 
should  we  be  discovered  by  the  men 
that  inhabit  this  land,  we  might  have 
to  pay  a  huge  price. ' ' 

I  led  him  away,  and  we  walked 
about  all  that  day  without  seeing  sign 
of  man  or  human  habitation.  We  ate 
fruits  and  berries,  and  great  crabs  that 
came  out  of  the  sea  and  sought  to 
pinch  us.  These  we  slew  with  stones 
and  pieces  of  rock,  breaking  their  shells, 
after  which  they  died.  It  was  raw  meat, 
but  a  hungry  man  waits  not  for  a  cook. 

That  night  we  slept  under  a  broad 
tree,  near  a  brook  of  running  water 
that  we  had  drank  from.  The  next 
19 


The  Fearsome  Island 

morning  when  I  awoke  I  was  alone,  and 
Thomas  Snoad  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

**  Snoad,  Thomas  Snoad!"  I  cried 
till  my  throat  pained,  but  there  came 
no  reply.  At  last  I  bethought  me  of 
the  diamond  stones  and  the  great  lust 
that  had  shone  in  Snoad* s  eyes  on  the 
yesterday. 

Quick  I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  ran 
with  great  speed  toward  the  seashore, 
where  stood  the  great  idol  of  bronze 
with  the  glistening  necklet,  and,  as  I 
approached,  I  could  see  Snoad  a-climb- 
ing  from  the  huge  toes  onto  the  knees. 

"  Get  thee  down!  "  I  cried.  "  Get 
thee  down,  thou  thief,  thou  sacrileg- 
ious thief,  there  will  be  mischief  in  the 
deed  and  dire  punishment  to  follow." 

So  I  spake  to  Thomas  Snoad,  for 
God  hath  given  me  a  honest  soul. 

He  heeded  not,  and  again  I  cried : 

11  Get  thee  down,  Thomas  Snoad!  " 
But  he  heeded  not;  and  now  he  had 
one  hand  on  the  outstanding  breast  and 


The  Fearsome  Island 

he  stood  on  the  brazen  knee,  and  then, 
as  he  swung  upward  to  the  neck  where 
sparkled  the  jewel,  the  great  bronze 
arms  did  close — aye,  did  close  I  say, 
and  I  have  sworn  it, — did  close  fast  and 
sharp  over  Thomas  Snoad,  and  his 
head  and  trunk  fell  one  way  and  his 
legs  and  belly  another,  aye,  right  to 
my  feet ;  and,  as  I  crossed  myself  and 
fell  down  on  my  knees,  I  saw  the  arms 
of  that  accursed  figure  swing  back  wide 
open  and  empty  as  before,  and  Thomas 
Snoad  lay  at  my  feet  in  two  halves,  so 
that  I  understood  the  meaning  of  the 
broken  skeletons  all  sundered  in  the 
middle,  and  I  shook  my  fist  at  the 
curst  idol,  and  the  arms  were  wide 
apart  and  without  motion,  and  the 
great  white  jewels  sparkled  mockingly 
in  that  morning's  sun. 

I  knelt  some  minutes  all  fearsome 
and  a-trembling,  wondering  to  what 
devil's  land  this  body  o'  mine  had 
strayed,  and,  as  I  knelt,  I  could  feel 

21 


The  Fearsome  Island 

something  soft  yet  firm  a-pressing 
gently  against  my  thighbone,  and  at 
the  same  time  I  could  hear  a  low  sound 
such  as  is  made  by  a  cat  that  is  pleased. 
I  looked  round  to  my  side  and  there 
was  the  black  cat  from  the  ship  a- fond- 
ling of  me,  he  that  had  eat  man's  flesh 
and  had  dwelt  with  a  witch.  He  was 
very  friendly  and  there  was  a  fond  look 
in  his  face;  but,  for  all  that,  I  arose 
hastily,  bethinking  me  of  the  body  of 
poor  Thomas  Snoad  that  lay  there 
dead  and  in  two  parts,  and  meseemed 
it  were  well  did  I  arise  and  bury  him 
ere  harm  befell.  So  I  searched  till  I 
found  a  sharp  stone  all  broad  and  flat 
like  a  spade,  and  with  it  I  dug  in  the 
soft  sand,  so  that  by  ten  o'clock  that 
day  by  the  sun  I  had  buried  Thomas 
Snoad,  all  that  was  mortal  of  that  gal- 
lant mariner.  As  the  sand  lay  thick 
over  him,  I  did  think  to  say  a  prayer, 
and  again  I  prayed  to  '■  Our  Father 
which  art  in  Heaven,"  that  being  the 

99 


The  Fearsome  Island 

only  prayer  that  I  could  repeat  without 
book  or  priest.  I  was  alone  now,  and 
as  the  "  Amen  "  left  my  lips  my  soli- 
tude and  isolation  came  back  to  me 
strong  and  full,  and  my  heart  felt  heavy 
within  me  and  tears  of  self-pity  stood 
in  both  my  eyes.  I  was  fit  to  weep, 
and  lay  helpless  and  without  hope  as  is 
a  despairing  woman,  till,  with  great 
effort,  I  repeated  '*  Silas  Fordred,  that 
art  a  man,  be  thou  a  man."  This  I 
said  thrice,  gaining  strength  with  each 
repetition,  and  the  mist  before  my  eyes 
vanished,  though  a  tear  trickled  slow 
down  both  the  sides  of  my  nose  and 
splashed  onto  the  thirsty  sand  below. 
I  saw  clear  once  more,  and  the  black 
cat  was  before  me,  gazing  piteously 
into  my  face  as  if  to  share  my  burden 
of  sorrow.  I  drew  him  gently  onto 
my  lap,  and  we  both  sat  lonely  and 
forsaken  on  the  empty  strand,  ponder- 
ing over  what  next  we  should  do  in 
that  gruesome  land  of  the  brazen  idol. 
*3 


Chapter  1 1 

ON  the  next  morning  the  cat  and 
I  held  council — we  had  slept  to- 
gether on  the  previous  night  for  the 
sake  of  the  companionship  of  the  other. 
"  Black  cat  of  the  witch,"  said  I, 
after  gazing  long  at  him  steadfastly  and 
with  much  thought,  "do  thou  that  are 
skilled  in  Sorcery  lead  and  I  will  fol- 
low," and  with  that  I  laid  my  hand 
lightly  on  the  beast's  head,  and  it 
looked  up  into  my  eyes  unafraid  and 
as  a  friend  might  do.  After  which, 
with  tail  erect  and  moustachios  point- 
ing right  and  left,  it  went  inland,  I  fol- 
lowing, and  for  two  days  and  a  night 
we  journeyed  through  thick  woods, 
with  here  and  there  a  rich  plain  that 
was  as  fair  a  pasture  land  as  are  the 
marshes  around  Romney  Town. 
H 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Towards  the  vesper  hour  on  the  sec- 
ond day  of  our  wanderings  we  came  to 
a  hill  on  whose  crest  stood  a  fair  castle, 
which,  though  nowise  old  or  a-crumb- 
ling,  yet  looked  neglected  and  for- 
saken, being  much  overgrown  with 
mosses,  weeds,  and  climbing  plants 
that  flourish  with  great  vigour  in 
Southern  lands,  and  grow  there  in  one 
year  more  than  such  things  grow  in 
ten  years  in  our  own  country. 

M  Black  cat,"  said  I,  "  let  us  enter," 
and  together  we  strode  up  the  hillside 
to  a  fair  gate,  that  was  arched  and  had 
ornaments  of  wrought-iron  to  its  face 
of  strong  wood.  This  gate  was  let 
into  the  castle  wall  over  against  a 
round  tower,  such  as  I  have  seen  at 
Windsor  as  a  boy  at  the  castle  of  King 
Harry  that  had  six  wives.  Round 
about  us  reigned  a  death-like  silence, 
and  from  the  castle  came  no  sound.  I 
looked  up,  marvelling,  at  the  rank 
grasses  and  untended  growths,  at  the 
25 


The  Fearsome  Island 

window  glass  whereon  the  dust  and 
grime  lay  thick,  at  the  weather-stained 
masonry,  and  beyond,,  at  the  garden 
about  the  castle,  where  grew  neither 
fruit  nor  flower,  nothing  but  worthless 
plants  and  common  weeds  such  as  were 
in  the  woods  through  which  we  had 
passed  on  our  way  thither. 

Greatly  I  wondered  as  to  who  might 
dwell  in  this  deserted  palace,  and  I 
looked  around  for  means  of  entry. 
Over  on  the  gate  was  a  large  knocker 
of  bronze  and  shaped  like  an  open  hand 
stretched  out  in  welcome.  It  was  on 
a  hinge  and  the  knuckles  were  thick 
and  heavy,  so  that  when  it  fell  the 
noise  might  be  the  greater.  I  reached 
out  my  hand,  and  was  about  to  raise  the 
knocker  and  clamour  at  the  gateway, 
when  I  bethought  me  of  poor  Thomas 
Snoad  and  the  fate  that  had  overtaken 
him. 

"  Black  cat,'  said  I,  "  there  be 
strategy  and  there  be  cunning,  and 
26 


The  Fearsome  Island 

wherefore,  did  I  lack  these  arts,  were 
I,  Silas  Fordred,  master-mariner?" 

With  that  I  unfastened  my  belt  of 
good  leather,  that  cost  me  one  groat 
and  a  penny  at  Canterbury  fair,  and  I 
lifted  up  the  bronze  hand  with  the  belt 
that  I  had  wound  around  it,  and,  be- 
hold, the  bronze  fingers  clutched  the 
belt,  closed  as  do  lion's  claws — yea, 
even  as  the  arms  of  the  idol  had  closed 
on  poor  Thomas  Snoad.  I  laughed 
loud  to  myself  at  the  sight,  and  the 
cat,  too,  did  laugh,  for  I  had  escaped 
a  cruel  device  and  had  outwitted  some 
uncommon  malignant  sorcerer.  High 
I  swung  the  hand  with  my  good  leather 
thong,  and  then  I  loosed  my  hold  and 
the  fist  fell  back  with  a  crash,  while, 
at  the  same  instant,  the  gateway 
opened  wide  from  the  inside,  and  with- 
out human  aid.  By  the  waning  day- 
light I  could  see  a  broad  hall,  tiled  and 
paved,  with  rich  rugs  and  skins  on  the 
floor ;  the  walls  were  hung  with  tapes- 
27 


The  Fearsome  Island 

tries  and  designs  made  of  rare  spears, 
bucklers  and  swords.  Here  and  there 
were  low  couches  that  looked  soft  and 
inviting — it  was  a  fair  sight  for  eyes  and 
body  that  had  not  rested  on  comfort 
and  ease  for  many  months.  The  sun 
was  sinking  fast — and  the  darkness  ap- 
proaches quick  in  these  lands, — so  I 
thought  it  unwise  to  enter  the  castle  at 
this  late  hour  and  resolved  to  spend 
that  night  on  the  hillside,  deeming  it 
safer  to  rest  there  than  in  the  great 
hall.  The  black  cat,  whom  I  had 
named  Satan  for  a  jest,  lay  by  my  side 
as  on  the  other  nights,  he  being  by 
now  mighty  trustful  of  me  and  friend- 
ly. Ever  and  anon  our  eyes  wandered 
through  the  darkness  to  the  black  out- 
line of  the  castle,  and,  though  there 
were  many  windows,  we  saw  no  light 
or  sign  of  light  in  any  one  of  the  rooms. 
Only  once  I  thought  I  could  see  a 
faint  glimmer,  as  of  a  lamp,  shine  from 
the  round  window  in  the  turret ;  but  I 
28 


The  Fearsome  Island 

looked  again  and  it  was  gone,  and  I 
looked  again  and  it  was  a  moonbeam 
that  had  painted  a  patch  of  silver  on 
the  pane.  On  the  morrow,  when  the 
sun  stood  clear  in  the  sky,  and  after  I 
had  bathed  and  drank  water  from  a 
running  stream  so  that  all  my  wits 
might  be  with  me,  I  entered  at  the 
castle  gate.  The  brazen  hand  was  still 
clenched  over  my  belt  of  leather. 

Satan  was  the  first  to  enter  the  hall, 
a  great  chamber  with  many  doors  let 
into  the  wall  on  either  side,  while  at 
the  far  end  rose  a  broad  stairway, 
which  we  ascended  without  mishap. 

It  would  be  idle  were  I  to  describe 
what  was  in  that  castle;  suffice  to  say, 
it  was  like  a  nobleman's  palace,  with 
chairs  of  carved  wood-work  and  great 
beds  with  spreading  canopies,  such  as  I 
have  seen  at  the  Palace  at  Hampton 
Court,  by  aid  of  my  friend,  Roger  the 
Ratcatcher,  who  doth  dwell  in  that 
famous  abode. 


The  Fearsome  Island 

With  great  caution  we  peered  into 
many  chambers,  and  no  harm  befell; 
and  when  we  had  descended  the  stair- 
way and  explored  the  rooms  about  the 
great  hall,  we  passed  yet  beyond  to 
where  there  were  kitchens  and  store- 
rooms, where  we  found  stacks  of  dried 
fruits  and  vegetables,  also  sealed  tins 
that  we  broke,  and  wherein  were  large 
pieces  of  flesh — beef  and  pork  and  the 
tongues  of  oxen. 

We  sat  us  down  and  feasted  until 
our  insides  could  be  no  more  dis- 
tended, and,  our  thirst  being  then  far 
stronger  than  our  hunger,  we  arose, 
thinking  to  go  down  to  the  stream 
that  ran  beside  the  hill  whereon  stood 
the  castle,  there  to  drink  our  fill  of 
water. 

Now,  as  once  more  we  crossed  the 
great  hall,  a  marvellous  strange  thing 
befell.  I  had  trodden  on  a  square  tile 
— it  was  green  in  colour,  being  the 
centre-piece  of  the  design  that  orna- 
30 


The  Fearsome  Island 

merited  the  paving, —  and  this  green 
tile  yielded  under  my  foot,  so  that, 
fearing  some  new  witchcraft,  with  a 
deadly  fear  at  my  heart,  I  sprang  high 
up  into  the  air.  It  was  a  mercy  that 
my  legs  were  well  up  under  me,  for  as 
a  flash  there  swung  'twixt  wall  and 
wall  a  long  blade  of  steel  shaped  as  a 
giant  sword.  It  passed  low  down,  just 
above  the  head  of  Satan,  the  cat,  just 
below  the  soles  of  my  feet.  It  was  a 
marvellous  cunning  piece  of  sorcery, 
for  was  I  not  bound  to  light  once  more 
on  that  green  tile — so  broad  it  was — 
and  yet  again,  and  yet  again,  till  I 
should  be  quite  tired,  and  without 
strength  to  spring,  and  then — I  shud- 
dered. Three  times  I  jumped  high  in- 
to the  air,  like  to  a  girl  that  skips  with 
a  rope,  only  this  rope  of  mine  was  a 
steel  knife,  sharp  and  keen,  and  I 
thought  many  things,  and  all  of  them 
very  terrible  and  uncomforting;  and 
three  times  the  long  steel  blade  hissed 
3* 


The  Fearsome  Island 

by,  low  down  and  from  wall  to  wall. 
A  fourth  time  I  lighted  on  the  green 
tile,  but  on  this  occasion  the  spell 
worked  not;  true,  the  sword  issued 
forth  as  before,  yet,  instead  of  flashing 
'twixt  wall  and  wall,  it  swerved  in  its 
course,  hesitated,  and  then  fell  harm- 
less to  the  ground,  dead  and  without 
power.  The  charm  that  had  caused  it 
to  chop  to  and  fro  had  failed.  I 
touched  it  lightly  with  my  forefinger, 
and  it  did  not  stir;  I  handled  it  yet 
more  familiarly  and  it  moved  not.  It 
was  a  long  blade,  long  as  the  hall  was 
broad,  somewhat  rusty  and  ill-looking 
it  was  for  lack  of  armourer's  care,  yet 
sharp  withal  and  of  a  fine  temper. 

"  Yea,"  I  thought,  "  the  magic  of 
the  devil,  thy  smith,  hath  left  thee, 
thanks  be  to  God,  for  truly  thou  art  an 
evil  device  and  an  unholy;  "  and,  as  in 
a  dream,  I  saw  myself  springing  into 
the  air,  till  at  last,  weak  and  feeble,  I 
could  spring  no  more ;  and  what  I  then 
32 


The  Fearsome  Island 

perceived  caused  me  to  shudder  anew. 
I  went  from  the  prostrate  blade  back 
to  the  green  tile  and  trod  upon  it  with 
the  end  of  one  foot,  and  the  long  knife 
quivered  like  an  animal  wounded  in 
the  chase  and  a-dying,  yet  it  stirred 
not  from  the  ground.  "  Magic  blade 
that  art  no  longer  magic,  thy  strength 
is  gone!  "  I  said  aloud,  and  with  that 
I  broke  off  the  end  of  the  sword  with 
my  two  hands,  that  were  protected 
by  a  cloth  I  had  taken  from  one  of 
the  couches  that  stood  around.  I 
stooped  and  sweated,  and  my  face  was 
purple,  yet,  ere  I  had  done,  the  huge 
blade  was  in  five  pieces,  and  powerless 
to  do  further  harm. 

It  was  with  a  greater  thirst  than  be- 
fore that  Satan  and  I  sped  downhill  to 
the  stream.  Here  we  drank  our  fill, 
and  it  was  good  to  be  once  more  out 
in  the  open  air  under  the  free  sky, 
with  naught  to  fear  and  no  care  at  our 
hearts.  The  rest  of  that  day  we  sat  in 
33 


The  Fearsome  Island 

the  cool  shade  of  a  wood,  listening  to 
the  apes  and  birds  of  coloured  plumage 
that  chattered  in  the  trees. 

Satan,  the  black  cat,  lies  dead  and  un- 
buried  in  a  strange  land,  and  no  human 
eye  marked  his  death.  His  last  hour 
was  perchance  the  most  evil  in  both 
our  lives,  and  maybe  in  that  hour  I 
had  no  thought  for  him  or  he  for  me ; 
yet  now,  in  my  security,  I  think  daily 
on  him,  and  there  rise  tears  to  my 
eyes,  for  he  was  dear  to  me  and  I  to 
him,  and  the  dangers  that  we  shared 
together  I  shall  never  forget.  In  the 
night  I  again  ascended  the  hill  and  wan- 
dered around  and  about  the  castle,  for 
a  spirit  of  unrest  possessed  me  and  I 
could  not  sleep.  No  light  was  visible 
from  any  window,  and  all  was  black 
and  inanimate  as  before.  On  the 
round  window  of  the  turret  the  same 
patch  of  moonlight  silvered  the  pane, 
yet  there  was  no  moon  in  the  skies, 
naught  but  an  army  of  stars,  wondrous 
34 


The  Fearsome  Island 

bright  and  near  to  earth,  as  are  the 
stars  of  all  distant  lands. 

Later  I  slept  deep,  yet,  ere  my  eyes 
closed,  I  had  pondered  much  over  that 
patch  of  moonlight  on  the  round  win- 
dow of  the  turret ;  for  albeit  there  was 
no  moon  visible  in  the  sky,  a  moon-ray 
pale  and  argentine  it  most  certainly 
was  that  I  had  seen,  and  I  resolved 
that  I  would  ascend  to  the  turret  and 
seek  to  discover  from  whence  sprang 
this  strange  light  that  had  so  puzzled 
me. 

On  the  morrow  Satan  and  I  once 
more  set  out  for  the  storeroom  in 
search  of  meat.  Again  we  ate  our  fill, 
and  our  appetites  were  very  great  and 
pressing.  From  this  chamber  there 
led  underground  a  stone  stairway  that 
we  afterwards  descended,  cautiously, 
and  one  foot  moving  slow  after  the 
other.  The  walls  of  this  stairway  were 
damp  and  mildewed,  and  when  we 
reached  the  cellar  below  the  air  was 
35 


The  Fearsome  Island 

humid  and  lifeless  as  a  stagnant  tarn. 
There  were  holes  in  the  walls,  through 
which  streamed  pale  rays  of  light,  so 
that  we  discovered  the  nature  of  this 
underground  chamber  without  great 
mystery  or  labour.  Underfoot  was 
the  naked  earth  without  flagstone  or 
paving,  and,  on  all  sides,  stretched  a 
huge  crypt,  a  ceiling  of  many  curves 
supported  by  numberless  pillars.  At 
Canterbury  Cathedral,  where  lie  the 
bones  of  St.  Thomas  a  Becket,  is  just 
such  a  crypt,  though  vaster  far  than 
the  one  Satan  and  I  explored  that 
morning.  There  were  many  casks 
about  us,  and  goodly  flasks  of  glass 
and  earthenware  that  held  rich  wines 
and  oils;  also  were  there  quaintly- 
painted  chests  filled  with  the  dried  leaf 
of  some  unknown  plant.  I  drank 
sparingly  of  the  rich  wines  that  we  had 
discovered,  tasting  of  many  sorts  and 
colours;  and  each  was  of  a  quality 
rarer  and  more  costly  than  any  liquor 
36 


The  Fearsome  Island 

I  had  drunk  before.  The  dust  and 
cobwebs  lay  thick  on  all  that  was  about 
us,  and  I  thought  that  few  men  had 
drunk  wine  of  so  old  a  vintage;  yet, 
because  of  the  sorcery  that  was  all 
about  us,  I  restrained  my  natural  de- 
sires and  forbode  to  drink  more  than  I 
could  carry  without  detriment  to  my 
reason  and  good  sense,  knowing  full 
well  that  I  should  want  all  the  wits  I 
was  possessed  of,  even  on  that  day  as 
on  the  previous  days. 

Further  on  in  this  great  cellar  was 
a  space  with  a  palisade  of  wood  all 
about  it,  and  within  were  barrels,  two 
or  three  of  which  had  their  heads  stove 
in,  so  that  their  contents  were  spread 
on  the  ground  beside  them.  I  climbed 
the  palisade  and  Satan  pressed  with  his 
body  through  the  bars. 

"  Gunpowder,   as  I  live!  "   I  cried, 

fingering  the  black  grains  that  strewed 

the  ground.     I  had  no  great  use  of  so 

dangerous     a     neighbour,     and     yet, 

37 


The  Fearsome  Island 

thought  I,  "  If  the  sorceries  and  dan- 
gers with  which  I  am  hourly  beset 
cease  not,  maybe  I  shall  lose  patience 
and  send  this  castle  and  all  its  witch- 
crafts a-flying  into  the  air;"  for  I 
looked  not  upon  this  store  of  gunpow- 
der with  dread,  as  some  men  might 
have  done,  but  as  an  ally,  for  stood  it 
not  at  my  service  as  much  as  at  the  use 
of  any  other  man?  Satan  and  I  then 
proceeded  further  through  the  crypt- 
like cellar,  and  at  the  further  end  was 
yet  another  stairway.  This  we  ascended 
as  carefully  as  was  our  wont,  and  soon 
we  were  standing  in  a  vast  apartment 
that  we  had  heretofore  been  unaware 
of.  This  new  chamber  was  quite 
unlike  any  of  the  others  through  which 
we  had  passed,  being  bare  and  huger 
than  any  dwelling-room,  with  a  ceiling 
high  and  vaulted ;  indeed,  it  was  in 
shape  more  like  the  inside  of  a  church 
than  a  room  in  a  nobleman's  palace. 
In  this  chamber  were  anvils  and 
38 


The  Fearsome  Island 

moulds,  and  furnaces  empty  and  idle; 
here  also  were  strange  machines  whose 
uses  I  could  in  no  way  surmise;  and 
all  these  things  were  rusty  and  red, 
and  discoloured  with  unuse.  This 
chamber  reminded  me  of  a  vast 
smithy,  only  it  was  of  another  and  a 
more  cunning  nature  than  any  smith's 
shop  that  I  had  ever  seen.  Around 
the  walls  were  shelves  whereon  stood 
great  jars  and  caskets,  and  there  were 
chests  that  had  drawers  that  were  filled 
with  carpenter's  stores, — screws  and 
nails  and  gimlets  and  files  and  rivets. 
There  were  also  boxes  full  of  thin 
sticks  of  wood  with  a  red  substance 
at  their  end,  and  I  rubbing  two  such 
together,  they  burst  into  flame.  Then 
I  bethought  me  of  the  gunpowder  in 
the  cellar  below,  and  I  put  a  box  of 
these  fire-makers  in  my  pouch,  so  that 
I  could  act  at  a  short  notice. 

I  marvelled  greatly  at  the  long  rows 
of  jars,  many  of  which  were  of  glass, 
39 


The  Fearsome  Island 

so  that  I  could  see  that  they  were 
filled  with  coloured  liquids,  and  all  of 
them  bore  inscriptions  in  a  strange 
tongue — for  a  strange  tongue  it  must 
have  been,  the  words  being  written 
with  English  characters,  yet  conveying 
no  meaning  to  me  as  I  spelt  them  out. 
From  one  such  a  jar  I  took  the  cover, 
and  there  arose  a  smell  most  nauseous, 
so  that  I  had  much  ado  that  I  might 
not  vomit.  Yet  one  more  jar  did  I 
uncover,  and  there  arose  fumes  into 
the  air  about  me,  ruddy  brown  in 
colour,  and  of  an  evil  quality,  so  thick 
and  foul  that  I  was  nigh  suffocated 
when  these  vapours  entered  at  my 
mouth.  There  was  a  large  doorway  at 
the  end  of  the  chamber,  and  to  this 
both  Satan  and  I  scampered  quick. 
We  opened  it,  and  before  us  was  the 
forsaken  garden  that  was  about  the 
castle.  We  stood  long  on  the  thresh- 
old, exceeding  thankful  for  air  that 
was  pure  and  of  good  odour. 
4o 


The  Fearsome  Island 

The  gateway  through  which  we  had 
passed  opened  out  on  to  the  back  of 
the  castle,  and  before  us  lay  the  tan- 
gled desolation  of  the  garden  that 
had  fallen  to  such  lamentable  decay. 
There  were  seats  and  arbours,  all  moss- 
grown  and  scarcely  recognisable,  and 
we  sat  us  down  and  pondered  over  the 
things  that  were  about  us,  marvel- 
ling much  how  it  was  that  they  were 
there,  and  how  it  was  that  their  pres- 
ent plight  was  so  lonesome  and  un- 
tended. 

"  'Tis  like  the  fable  of  the  Brier 
Rose,  friend  Satan,"  I  said,  as  I 
scratched  the  top  of  his  head,  and 
then  I  smacked  my  lips  together. 
"  Maybe  I  shall  kiss  the  princess,"  I 
continued,  M  and  she  will  awake  and 
chide  me  for  a  hairy-faced  varlet." 
My  hand  was  on  my  chin  and  I  could 
feel  my  beard  grown  long  and  thick, 
and  never  a  barber's  shop  would  I, 
Silas  Fordred,  enter  for  many  a  long 
41 


The  Fearsome  Island 

day.  My  hair,  too,  was  long  and  un- 
kempt, and  truly  had  a  princess  gazed 
on  me,  I  fear  greatly  that  she  would 
have  turned  on  her  side  and  essayed  to 
sleep  once  more. 

With  such  like  thoughts  I  wandered 
through  the  tangled  bushes  and  net- 
work of  creeping  plants,  that  plucked 
at  my  feet  and  tripped  me  up,  while 
the  green  tendrils  tapped  at  my  face 
and  curled  round  my  fingers,  filling  the 
air  with  a  moist  odour,  somewhat 
rank,  yet  not  unpleasing.  We  had 
proceeded  thus  slowly  for  some  hun- 
dreds of  yards,  when  we  came  to  an 
open  space  where  stood  three  build- 
ings that  had  closed  doors.  Each  of 
these  structures  was  of  stone,  low  in 
the  roof  and  of  simple  form,  and,  from 
their  shape,  it  was  easy  to  tell  that 
they  consisted  of  but  a  single  chamber. 
These  we  passed  and  repassed  with 
much  curiosity,  but  by  now  we  had 
grown  prudent  and  slow  of  action — 
4* 


The  Fearsome  Island 

aye,  even  fearful, — so  that  we  were 
content  to  return  to  the  woods  as  on 
the  previous  day,  to  idle  away  the  time 
and  bethink  us  of  the  morrow. 

It  was  quite  silent  in  the  wood,  save 
for  the  stirring  of  leaves  and  the  cries 
and  motions  of 'bird  and  beast,  and 
Satan  sat  on  blissfully  at  my  side,  with 
his  head  resting  on  his  outstretched 
paws.  On  a  sudden,  however,  the 
black  cat  rose  to  his  feet  with  hair  erect 
and  his  body  forming  an  archway,  while 
his  claws  came  forth  from  their  sheath. 

"  What  is  it,  friend  Satan? "  I 
cried.  I  looked  in  the  direction  of  his 
eyes,  and  true,  there  was  cause  for 
alarm.  Gazing  straight  at  us,  and 
some  little  distance  away,  was  a  man 
all  naked  and  hairy,  as  is  an  ape. 

I  rose  to  my  feet  and  saw  that  he 
had  no  weapon.  This  gave  me  some 
courage,  so  that  I  called  aloud: 

II  Hairy  man!  who  art  thou,  and 
what  woulds't  thou?  " 

43 


The  Fearsome  Island 

He  made  no  answer,  and  there  was 
a  look  of  terror  on  his  face — 'twas 
brown  in  colour,  of  a  somewhat  lighter 
hue  than  a  Negro's. 

"  Come  hither,  thou  man-ape,"  I 
said,  loud  and  clear. 

He  gave  a  shrill  cry,  and  then  turn- 
ing round  he  fled  into  the  wood.  I 
followed  as  fast  as  I  was  able,  yet  this 
hairy  man  was  lithe  and  agile  as  is  a 
greyhound,  so  that  ere  I  had  run  many 
yards  I  had  lost  all  trace  of  him. 
Breathless  I  returned  to  Satan,  the  cat. 

"  Eater  of  man's  flesh,"  I  said,  "we 
be  not  alone.  Perchance  this  is  a 
land  of  hairy  men — and  sorcerers." 

Satan,  the  cat,  purred  his  agreement. 

"  We  must  watch  and  wait,"  said  I, 
1 '  and  heaven  above  will  help  us ;  for, 
cat,  though  thy  hue  be  black,  thou 
hast  borne  thee  like  a  true  Christian," 
and  I  drew  him  toward  me  and  rubbed 
his  black  face  against  my  cheek  with 
much  affection. 

44 


The  Fearsome  Island 

That  day  we  saw  no  more  of  the 
hairy  man,  nor  did  we  see  other  man 
or  woman  of  like  breed  and  nature. 
In  the  night,  as  I  gazed  upward  to  the 
castle  on  the  hill,  the  patch  of  silver 
light  was  again  visible  on  the  turret 
window.  I  resolved  that  on  the  next 
day  I  would  ascend  the  stairway  and 
explore  the  tower,  which  as  yet  I  had 
not  entered ;  for  there  was  no  moon  in 
the  sky,  and  I  marvelled  greatly  as  to 
the  why  and  how  of  that  patch  of  sil- 
ver light  that  shone  each  night  on  the 
turret  window  without  apparent  cause 
or  natural  source. 


Chapter  III 

ON  the  morrow  Satan  and  I  set 
out  for  the  store-room,  whither 
we  daily  hied  for  meat  and  sustenance. 
It  was  a  dismal  day,  with  a  dark  sky, 
from  which  the  rain  fell  in  thick  sheets, 
so  that  we  ate  more  than  we  needed 
and  drank  our  fill,  aye,  and  more  than 
our  fill,  of  the  wine  in  the  cellar  below. 
I  remember  well  that  I  emptied  a  flask 
of  red  and  a  flask  of  yellow,  and  yet 
another  flask  of  red ;  for  the  leaden  sky 
had  made  me  sorrowful  and  the  warm 
wine  brought  me  comfort.  By  noon  I 
had  driven  all  care  from  my  heart,  and  I 
was  singing  ribald  songs  and  a-sitting  on 
the  floor  with  Satan,  whom  I  had  made 
to  drink  his  fill  of  wine  from  a  platter. 
"  Satan,  old  crow,"  I  cried,  "  'tis  a 
goodly  tavern ;  wilt  pay  the  reckoning?" 
46 


The  Fearsome  Island 

He  came  towards  me,  yet  not  in  a 
straight  line  but  in  a  curve:  the  face 
he  wore  was  not  his  own,  'twas  more 
like  the  face  of  a  stupid  sheep ;  for  the 
liquor  had  reached  his  brain,  and  his 
head  and  limbs  were  unsteady. 

"  Thou  drunken  knave,"  I  cried, 
1 '  get  thee  hence ;  no  denier  hast  thou 
with  which  to  pay  what  glasses  thou 
hast  burst!  Out,  thou  black  tinker!  " 
and  with  that  we  fell  into  each  other's 
arms  and  rolled  on  the  floor,  together 
and  wondrous  happy. 

'Twas  then  that  I  bethought  me  of 
the  turret  and  the  silver  moonlight  I 
had  seen  on  its  window  these  last  three 
nights. 

"  Friend  Beelzebub,"  said  I  to  my 
companion,  "  We  two  will  venture  to 
the  tower  and  see  what  it  holds — per- 
chance a  duplicate  moon ;  marry,  thou 
roistering  puss,  up  on  to  thy  four  legs, 
and  do  thou  lead  the  way!  " 

Together  we  struggled  out  into  the 
47 


The  Fearsome  Island 

hall  and  then  upstairs  till  we  came  to 
a  doorway  that  opened  on  to  a  wind- 
ing staircase  that,  as  I  rightly  sur- 
mised, led  to  the  chamber  in  the  turret. 
Well  I  remember  how  we  wound 
round  this  last  flight;  the  steps  were 
of  stone,  and  we  held  on  to  the  damp 
walls,  muttering  to  ourselves  and  ever 
and  anon  laughing  aloud ;  for  the  wine 
was  hot  in  our  heads,  and  our  legs 
went  one  way  and  our  bodies  another. 
At  length  we  reached  the  stairway 
head,  and  I  threw  open  a  brass-stud- 
ded door.  Before  us  was  a  round 
apartment,  the  floor  littered  with  huge 
folios,  while  a  red  curtain  of  heavy  silk 
hung  from  floor  to  ceiling  at  the  fur- 
ther end.  On  entering  this  chamber 
we  were  greeted  by  a  cry,  shrill  and 
uncanny  as  the  shriek  of  a  night  bird. 
I  looked  about  me,  and  there  rose  from 
a  low  chair  an  aged  crone,  bent  well- 
nigh  double,  with  a  lifeless  face,  and 
long  wisps  of  hair  that  were  a  pale  yel- 
48 


The  Fearsome  Island 

low  from  age.  Two  long  teeth,  brown 
as  toasted  almonds,  projected  on  either 
side  of  her  mouth,  while  on  her  chin 
sprouted  a  fine  beard  that  I  plucked  as 
I  looked  into  her  face  and  drew  her 
toward  me.  Her  eyes  were  small, 
malevolent,  and  like  beads  of  glass. 

"  What  make  you  up  here,  old 
hag?"  I  said,  holding  tight  to  her 
beard  so  as  to  make  sure  of  her  face, 
for  most  things  that  were  about  me  I 
could  see  double,  aye,  and  some  three- 
fold. She  laid  her  hand — 'twas  dry 
and  lean,  with  thick  black  veins  —  on 
my  arm,  and  hissed  with  rage  as  does 
a  serpent,  trying  with  feeble  force  to 
disengage  her  beard. 

"  What  make  you  up  here,  old 
witch,  spells  and  sorcery?  "  I  asked 
once  more.  Then  I  turned  to  Satan 
that  had  dwelt  with  the  witch: 
"  Knowest  thou  this  lady?  "  I  said, 
with  a  thick  voice.  The  black  cat 
shrunk  to  my  side,  marvellous  steady 

49 


The  Fearsome  Island 

and  sober.  "  Satan,  thou  that  I 
bought  of  a  witch,  thou  that  knowest 
the  ways  of  sorcerers,  is  it  safe  to  let 
this  old  crone  live,  or  shall  I  hurl  her 
from  the  turret  window?  "  And  with 
that  I  drew  the  hag  yet  closer  towards 
me,  and  made  as  if  to  execute  my 
threat. 

"  Indeed,  kind  sir,  'twas  not  I," 
she  whined. 

11  Dost  speak  the  English  tongue? — 
aye,  I  forgot  thou  art  a  witch  and 
speak  all  tongues. ' ' 

"  Indeed,  sweet  sir,  I  have  done 
thee  no  harm;  prithee  release  my 
beard!" 

"  'Twas  not  you?  "  I  burst  out. 
"  You  have  done  me  no  harm?  Then 
you  know  what  devil's  work  has  gone 
forward  under  this  roof,  Hag  of  the 
Turret?  Was  the  sword  that  flashed 
under  my  heels  of  thy  forging?  " 

"  Indeed,  kind  sir,"  she  whimpered, 
"  I  had  no  power  over  that  blade,  nor 
50 


The  Fearsome  Island 

over  the  bronze  hand  on  the  gateway. 
I  fear  these  things  even  as  you  fear 
them.  I  am  but  an  old  woman,  and  no 
witch ;  pray,  kind  sir,  release  your  hold 
on  my  beard,  for  the  pain  is  great." 

"  Heaven  help  you,  if  you  lie,"  I 
said,  and  I  loosed  my  hold. 

She  fell  back  muttering  to  herself  in 
a  strange  tongue,  and  her  glance  was 
that  evil  and  malevolent  that  I  shud- 
dered at  sight  of  so  terrible  a  visage. 

I  turned  to  friend  Satan,  who,  in 
spite  of  temporary  calmness,  was  heavy 
with  wine.  He  lay  now  on  the  floor 
of  the  chamber  asleep  and  breathing 
hard  from  his  nostrils,  so  that  I  could 
see  his  moustachios  bend  and  sway. 

"  Arouse  thee,  friend  Satan,"  I 
cried,  treading  with  my  foot  on  his 
back.     "  And  thou,  old  hag,  beware!" 

I  strode  several  times  round  the 
chamber,  turning  over  the  huge  vol- 
umes that  were  strewn  about  and  of 
which  I  could  understand  no  word, 
51 


The  Fearsome  Island 

though  I  be  a  good  scholar,  having 
been  intended  as  a  boy  for  the  priest- 
hood, and  I  had  studied  hard  till  the 
day  that  I  quitted  the  monastery  for 
the  ocean  that  had  the  greater  attrac- 
tion for  me.  I  stood  before  the  circu- 
lar window  that  I  had  gazed  on  from 
below,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the 
turret  was  another  window  of  the  same 
shape  and  size.  We  were  high  up 
above  the  earth,  and  I  could  see  across 
wood  and  meadow-land  far  away  to  the 
sea,  and  wherever  I  looked  stretched 
the  blue  of  the  distant  ocean. 

"  'Tis  an  island,  this  land  of  brazen 
idols  and  bearded  hags,  eh,  old  snake? 
and  what  may  be  its  name?  "   I  cried. 

*•  It  hath  no  name,"  she  said. 

"  And  thy  name?  " 

"  I  have  none." 

"  Then,    Hag   of   the   Turret  shalt 
thou  be  called  henceforth.    Come  thou 
below  to  the  cellar  and  we  will  cele- 
brate thy  christening. ' ' 
53 


The  Fearsome  Island 

I  laid  my  hand  on  her  shoulder,  and 
I  felt  that  she  was  shaking  with  fear 
under  my  palm.  I  am  not  of  a  cruel 
disposition  and  I  was  moved. 

"  Have  no  dread,"  I  cried;  "  so 
long  as  thy  conduct  is  harmless  and  of 
good  report  thou  art  safe.  I  am 
neither  witch  nor  sorcerer;  naught 
but  a  plain  seaman,  Silas  Fordred, 
master-mariner  of  Hythe." 

She  scowled  at  me  most  bad-humonr- 
edly. 

"  I  love  seamen,  they  are  brave 
and  free  as  the  ocean, ' '  said  the  witch. 

"  Aye,  thou  lovest  them  as  did  the 
Syrens.  I  know  thy  love  and  will 
none  of  it." 

"  You  mock  me  because  I  am  old 
and  withered;  'tis  not  generous,  Silas 
Fordred,  master-mariner  of  Hythe, — 
'tis  not  generous,  nor  is  it  brave." 

"  Get  thee  back  to  thy  spells  and 
incantations, ' '  and  I  looked  at  the  great 
tomes  that  were  spread  about  the 
S3 


The  Fearsome  Island 

room.  "Yet  stay,"  I  continued: 
"  whence  comes  the  patch  of  moon- 
light that  I  see  nightly  on  thy  win- 
dow-pane? " 

For  answer  she  pressed  a  spring  in 
the  wall,  and,  as  I  live,  there  burnt  in 
a  globe  of  glass  above  our  heads  a  pale 
thread  of  light,  white  as  a  moon-ray. 

'■  A  strange  lamp  is  this,  aye,  and 
another  of  thy  sorcerer's  tricks;  take 
care  that  it  works  no  harm." 

"An  innocent  device,"  she  pro- 
tested, M  and  simple." 

"  'Tis  well;  mark  what  I  have  said, 
and  now  good-day,  and  mind  thou 
keepest  to  thy  turret;  for  should  I 
meet  thee  below,  I  will  spit  thee  like  a 
woodcock  on  one  of  thine  own  swords. " 

She  scowled  most  evilly,  the  thin 
lips  curling  inward  over  her  toothless 
gums,  while  the  two  fangs  at  the  cor- 
ners pressed  down  on  her  withered 
chin. 

M  Come,  friend  Satan,"   said  I,  stir- 

54 


The  Fearsome  Island 

ring  the  weary  cat  with  my  foot,  "  let 
us  away." 

Together  we  descended  the  stairway, 
and  the  brass-studded  door  closed  over 
our  heads;  then  downhill  to  the 
stream  that  bordered  the  wood,  to 
idle  through  the  long  afternoon  as  best 
we  might. 

Thus,  stretched  at  our  ease,  we 
thought  over  the  day's  events,  and 
what  they  might  bode.  The  hairy 
man  of  the  yesterday  came  not  within 
our  ken,  nor  did  we  see  further  trace 
or  sign  of  thing  human,  so  there  was 
naught  to  disturb  our  reflections.  In 
the  night-time  the  pale  light  glowed 
on  the  round  window-pane  as  before, 
and  not  many  hours  after  sunset  we 
slept,  greatly  tired  from  the  wine  and 
the  day's  excitements,  till  late  into  the 
next  day. 

After  our  usual  meal,  and  we  drank 
sparingly  this  time,  we  again  ascended 
to  the  turret  and  held  converse  with 
55 


The  Fearsome  Island 

the  witch.  This  we  did  for  lack  of 
other  employment  and  because  the 
time  hung  heavy  on  our  hands.  We 
stayed  and  spoke  with  her  till  both 
Satan  and  I  were  wearied  with  fruit- 
less discourse;  then  downstairs  again 
wishing  we  had  kept  to  our  own  com- 
pany. 

Our  condition  was  most  lonesome, 
and,  after  awhile,  we  wandered  in  the 
forsaken  garden,  for  'twas  much  like 
ourselves,  and  there  is  a  wondrous 
sympathy  'twixt  things  animate  and 
things  inanimate  be  they  in  a  like 
plight  and  condition.  Yea,  and  even 
though  we  were  silent  and  without 
power  of  comforting  the  other  with 
speech,  I  saw  in  this  neglected  garden 
much  that  spoke  to  me  in  sympathy 
and  tried  hard  to  soothe  my  heavy 
heart;  for  it  seemed  to  me  as  though 
the  uncared  plants  felt  what  I  felt,  and, 
had  they  had  utterance,  they  would 
have  voiced  my  own  thoughts.  Even 
56 


The  Fearsome  Island 

the  insects  and  bugs  that  crawled  from 
leaf  to  leaf  were  in  a  less  pitiable  plight 
than  this  forsaken  garden  and  myself, 
and,  when  I  had  thought  and  pitied 
myself  awhile,  there  were  tears  on  my 
cheek  that  rolled  onto  the  fur  of  Satan, 
my  friend,  and  made  round  spots  on 
his  coat  that  were  more  shiny  than 
what  was  dry. 

As  I  sat  thus  thinking  of  gloomy 
things,  I  bethought  me  of  the  three 
buildings  with  the  closed  doors,  and  I 
resolved  once  more  to  visit  them;  for 
anything  was  a  distraction  in  my  pre- 
sent plight,  and  I  saw  no  danger  in 
this  survey  of  stones  and  mortar. 

The  sun  was  high  in  the  afternoon 
sky,  that  was  a  deep  hard  blue,  and  so 
clear  was  the  air  that  each  leaf  and 
flower  stood  clear-cut  and  separate,  as 
though  hewn  in  coloured  stone. 

When  we  reached  the  open  space 
where  stood  the  three  chambers,  we 
found  that  they  were  as  before,  with 
57 


The  Fearsome  Island 

but  one  slight  difference.  The  doors 
of  the  first  two  were  closed,  but  the 
third  door  stood  open  to  my  gaze.  I 
bethought  me  of  the  Hag  of  the  Tur- 
ret, and  wondered  greatly  whether 
the  open  door  was  her  doing.  I 
looked  into  the  chamber,  for  there  was 
naught  to  hinder  me,  and  before  my 
eyes  was  spread  a  rich  feast  laid  out  in 
vessels  of  beaten  gold,  such  vessels  as 
the  ones  that  I  had  brought  from 
thence,  and  that  I  have  shewn  you  at 
my  house  in  Stade  Street.  There  were 
broad  dishes  and  platters,  and  flasks 
and  goblets,  yellow  and  ashine,  that 
made  my  fingers  to  itch  and  ache.  It 
was  foolish  of  me  to  wish  for  gold  at 
that  time;  for  what  use  had  I  for 
wealth  in  a  land  where  there  was  none 
to  buy  or  sell  with  but  a  bent  crone 
and  a  man  all  hairy? 

On  one  dish  was  a  boar's  head,  on 
another   a   swan,    and    there   were  all 
manner  of  rich  meats  and  fair  jellies 
53 


The  Fearsome  Island 

and  fruits,  that  called  to  mind  the  dain- 
ties that  I  have  heard  tell  are  eaten  by 
the  Lord  Mayor  of  London  and  his 
Aldermen  each  ninth  day  of  November. 

Satan  too  looked  at  the  rich  feast, 
and,  without  more  ado,  he  ran  inside 
and  began  to  eat  from  a  huge  pasty, 
and  he  coming  to  no  harm,  I  lost  fear 
and  followed,  for  I  had  eaten  no  cooked 
food  for  many  days,  and  the  banquet 
enticed  me  greatly. 

Boldly  I  entered  and  laid  my  hand 
on  a  fine  peach.  As  I  touched  it  the 
fruit  crumbled  to  dust  in  my  fingers; 
while  behind  me  the  door  closed  fast 
with  a  thud,  and  I  was  in  black  dark- 
ness, with  only  Satan's  eyes  for  a  lamp. 
The  air  about  me,  which  at  first  was 
sweet  and  pure,  grew  thick  and  nox- 
ious, and  there  pressed  a  great  weight 
on  my  chest  so  that  it  was  hard  to 
breathe,  and  I  stood  there  in  the 
darkness  thinking  that  my  last  hour 
was  come,  and  wondering  whether  I 
59 


The  Fearsome  Island 

had  best  bestir  myself  and  see  if  there 
was  no  chance  of  escape.  I  gathered 
together  all  my  strength,  and  breathed 
but  rarely  and  through  my  nostrils; 
while  Satan,  the  cat,  whined  piteously 
at  my  side.  I  tore  at  the  walls  with  my 
hands,  but  they  were  firm  and  pitiless; 
and  vainly  I  sought  to  find  the  door 
that  had  closed  and  shut  out  all  the 
light,  for  there  were  no  windows  to 
this  chamber,  and  the  darkness  was 
black  and  endless. 

The  thick  nauseous  air  grew  heavier 
and  heavier,  and  now  my  eyes  burnt 
fit  to  drop  from  out  my  head,  while 
my  tongue  clove  to  my  mouth  and  felt 
parched  and  dry,  like  to  a  piece  of 
smoked  meat.  My  limbs  grew  heavy 
and  without  strength,  and  the  great 
vein  on  my  forehead  beat  like  a  Nurem- 
berg time-dial.  I  was  afraid  to  pray, 
for  the  thick  air  would  have  entered  at 
my  lips  and  choked  me  the  faster. 
Satan,  the  cat,  had  ceased  to  whine, 
60 


The  Fearsome  Island 

the  green  light  in  his  eyes  glowed  no 
longer,  and,  as  my  foot  stirred  him,  I 
felt  that  he  was  as  lead,  heavy  and 
without  life.  All  was  silent,  save  for 
the  noises  in  my  head,  and  the  low  hiss 
of  the  rank  gas  that  issued  form  some- 
where under  my  feet.  On  a  sudden, 
a  long  shrill  laugh,  fiendish  and  dia- 
bolic, pierced  the  silence,  and  then 
another  and  yet  another.  I  ceased  my 
efforts  to  escape,  and  stood  still  and 
intent,  trying  to*  gather  from  whence 
came  this  burst  of  merriment.  The 
sound  was  somewhat  distant,  and  as  I 
listened,  the  laughter  ceased,  and  the 
shrill  voice  burst  into  a  cackling  chant, 
that  it  intoned  in  some  strange  tongue. 
M  It  must  be  someone  in  the  garden 
without,"  I  thought;  **  most  likely  it 
is  the  Hag  of  the  Turret;"  whereupon 
I  resolved,  should  I  outlive  this  hour, 
to  strangle  her  with  my  thumbs  and 
fingers,  aye,  and  without  speech  or 
question. 

61 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Quick  these  thoughts  and  many 
others  galloped  through  my  brain,  and 
all  the  time  I  was  sinking,  slowly  sink- 
ing. My  heart  still  beat,  and  won- 
drous loud  too;  but  my  body  was 
weary  and  without  strength.  I  swayed 
and  I  staggered,  for  I  could  breathe 
no  more,  and  my  head  was  going 
round  and  round  like  the  wheel  of  a 
cart ;  then  I  fell,  clutching  on  my  way 
the  carving  of  a  stone  that  projected 
some  inches  from  the  wall  at  my  side. 
Well  I  remember  that  fall  and  the  hope- 
less sense  of  the  end  of  all  things  that 
came  with  it;  then  I  recollect,  even 
better  and  with  a  greater  zest,  how  I 
reached  that  thrice  blessed  piece  of  car- 
ving, that  for  one  moment  stayed  my 
fall,  and  how  stone  and  carving  moved 
under  my  hand,  making  a  crevice  in 
the  wall,  so  that  there  cut  through  the 
darkness  a  thin  blade  of  light,  while  a 
million  dust  atoms  danced  merrily  in 
line  'twixt  the  cleft  and  the  paving. 
62 


The  Fearsome  Island 

The  stone  that  I  held  was  loose,  and 
the  mortar  about  it  decayed ;  the  cool 
draught  of  air  played  on  my  face,  giv- 
ing me  fresh  courage,  so  that  with 
might  and  main  I  pulled  and  pushed 
at  that  heaven-sent  stone  so  that  at 
last  it  fell  to  the  ground  outside  the 
chamber,  whilst  the  daylight  and  God's 
own  blessed  air  did  enter  like  unto  two 
glorious  angels. 

As  the  stone  fell  to  earth  with  a  thud 
I  heard  yet  another  sound,  a  cry  of 
rage  and  lamentation.  I  put  my  head 
through  the  hole  I  had  made  so  that 
I  might  breathe  more  freely  and  rid 
my  entrails  of  the  nauseous  gas,  and 
the  garden  was  around  me  as  before. 
I  was  too  busy  with  my  own  bodily 
affairs  to  pay  much  heed  to  the  cry 
that  I  had  heard  and  the  anger  that 
was  in  the  voice,  yet,  as  once  more  I 
felt  alive  and  somewhat  vigorous,  I 
looked  hard  about  me,  and  through  the 
bushes  and  tangle  of  the  garden  I  made 
63 


The  Fearsome  Island 

out  the  aged  crone  of  the  turret  hob- 
bling homewards,  a-shaking  of  her  staff 
and  muttering  in  her  beard. 

As  the  air  from  without  rushed  into 
the  dark  chamber,  behold,  and  I  have 
sworn  it,  the  door  once  more  opened 
wide,  and  without  help  from  me  or  hu- 
man being,  and  again  there  was  light 
in  the  room,  so  that  I  could  see  the 
body  of  Satan,  the  cat,  that  was  quite 
dead;  also  could  I  see  the  feast  and 
the  vessels  of  gold.  Now,  with  all 
haste  I  seized  four  goblets,  a  great 
flask,  six  broad  dishes,  and  nine  plat- 
ters, these  being  all  that  I  could  carry, 
I  being  then  a  weak  man  and  over- 
weary; and  with  these  I  ran  into  the 
open  and  sank  down  on  my  knees, 
praying  a  prayer  of  my  own  making 
that  rose  to  my  lips  from  out  my  heart 
of  hearts.  Afterwards  I  bethought  me 
of  the  black  cat  that  I  had  left  behind 
me,  and  further,  it  seemed  unwise 
were  I  to  return  for  his  body,  he  being 
64 


The  Fearsome  Island 

dead  and  beyond  the  reach  of  human 
aid. 

As  I  thought  of  my  friend,  Satan, 
the  cat,  a  great  rage  seized  upon  me, 
for  he  had  been  to  me  a  dear  compan- 
ion during  some  of  the  longest  days 
that  I  have  ever  lived  through — trust- 
ing and  large-hearted  he  had  been,  of 
unchanging  mood  and  warm  affections, 
and  the  Hag  of  Turret  it  was  that  had 
wrought  this  murder!  I  was  athirst 
for  revenge,  yet  somewhat  feeble  from 
my  recent  adventure,  and,  though  my 
first  impulse  was  to  run  straight  up  to 
the  turret  and  fling  the  curst  witch 
from  the  window,  yet  I  thought  I 
would  wait  till  the  morrow  ere  I 
wrought  this  justice.  I  was  greatly 
weary  both  in  mind  and  body,  so  that 
taken  unawares  my  wits  would  have 
been  too  feeble  to  meet  cunning  by 
cunning,  and  my  body  too  weary  to 
bear  any  encounter  that  called  for  over- 
much exertion. 

6s 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Alone  and  by  myself  back  to  the 
wood  I  hied  with  my  golden  dishes, 
and  these  I  hid  secure  in  a  spot  that  I 
could  well  remember,  'twas  under  the 
roots  of  a  great  tree.  I  was  on  my 
knees  engaged  in  this  business,  when 
suddenly  I  looked  about  me,  and  be- 
hold, the  hairy  man  of  two  days  before 
was  a-watching  of  me  with  much  curi- 
osity. Straightway  I  arose  and  ad- 
vanced towards  him,  but  he  stepped 
back  as  at  our  first  meeting.  I  stood 
still  and  waited  for  him  to  speak. 
There  was  no  great  fear  on  his  face  as 
there  had  been  when  we  had  first  en- 
countered the  other,  yet  no  one  word 
did  he  say,  only  clenched  his  hairy  fist 
and  pointed  with  his  other  arm  in  the 
direction  of  the  castle,  uttering  strange 
sounds  and  grinding  his  teeth  together 
till  the  noise  pained  me. 

'*  Thou  too  knowest  the  witch?  "  I 
asked,  and  I  bent  my  back  as  the  Hag 
of  the  Turret  bent  her  back,  and  I 
66 


The  Fearsome  Island 

pulled  at  my  beard  and  pointed  to  the 
sides  of  my  mouth  so  as  to  call  to  his 
mind  the  two  fangs  of  the  witch. 

He  understood  my  meaning,  for  he 
smiled  and  shook  his  head  up  and 
down ;  then  he  sprang  high  into  the  air 
and  trod  hard  with  his  feet  on  the 
earth,  as  if  to  stamp  the  life  out  of 
some  prostrate  body. 

"  Aye,  we  will  trample  her  to  death, 
and  worse,  far  worse!"   I  cried. 

For  answer  this  hairy  man  neighed 
like  a  horse,  and  then  ran  away  into 
the  wood  without  sign  or  word. 

I  turned  to  my  gold  platters,  that 
were  still  where  I  had  placed  them,  and  I 
marvelled  much  at  the  strange  conduct 
of  this  hairy  heathen  that  ran  all  naked 
in  the  wood,  and  hated  the  witch 
with  as  great  a  hatred  as  mine  own. 
All  the  while  my  head  ached  sore  and 
my  eyes  smarted,  and,  had  I  possessed 
a  mirror,  I  would  have  seen  that  they 
were  red.  I  was  not  easily  rid  of  the 
67 


The  Fearsome  Island 

noxious  gas  that  I  had  breathed,  and 
at  sunset  I  laid  me  down  to  rest,  some- 
what sick  of  body  and  greatly  weary 
and  worn  out. 

It  was  yet  more  lonesome  than  be- 
fore to  lie  thus  lone  and  companion- 
less,  and  often  in  the  night  I  awoke, 
and,  wondering  at  the  emptiness  of 
my  arms  and  missing  the  familiar 
breathing  at  my  side,  I  cried  aloud: 
11  Satan,  old  friend,  where  stay  you?  " 
till  I  remembered  that  he  had  been 
slain  by  black  magic,  and  that  on  the 
morrow  I  would  up  to  the  turret  and 
slay  the  hag  that  dwelt  there,  without 
question  or  other  word. 


Chapter   IV 

THERE  was  little  of  mercy  and 
little  of  sweetness  in  my  heart 
when  I  next  ascended  the  stairway 
that  led  to  the  chamber  where  dwelt 
the  Hag  of  the  Turret.  Three  steps 
did  I  take  at  a  time,  and  in  my  right 
hand  was  a  sword  of  good  steel,  the 
best  of  those  that  hung  on  the  walls 
in  the  great  hall  below.  Carefully  I 
had  sharpened  and  ground  the  edge, 
and  there  was  little  flesh  that  was 
human  that  the  keen  blade  would  not 
divide. 

Well  I  remember  how  my  eyeballs 
were  aflame  with  hatred  and  lust  of 
blood,  how  my  throat  was  hard  and 
dry  and  my  teeth  firm  set.  There  was 
no  softness  in  me  as  I  thought  of  the 
69 


The  Fearsome  Island 

woman's  years  and  helpless  state,  and 
swiftly  the  stone  stairs  fell  back  under 
the  spring  of  my  stride.  She  had 
sought  to  kill  me — I  that  had  done  her 
no  wrong, — and  my  cat,  Satan,  she 
had  slain  with  as  black  a  cunning  as 
any  that  I  had  as  yet  encountered. 
The  blood  of  Thomas  Snoad  cried  loud 
for  vengeance,  and  the  grip  on  my 
sword-hilt  tightened  at  the  thought  of 
how  it  would  cleave  and  make  a  part- 
ing in  the  yellow  wisps  of  hair,  then 
downward  to  the  chin  through  the 
coarse  beard  —  and  the  Hag  of  the 
Turret  would  work  no  more  evil,  what- 
ever else  might  befall. 

I  flung  open  her  chamber  door,  and 
she  advanced  to  meet  me  with  the 
same  cunning  smile  that  was  her 
wonted  mask.  Then  she  read  the 
message  in  my  eyes  and  in  my  hand, 
and  down  at  my  feet  she  flung  herself, 
sore  afraid  and  trembling. 

"  Speak!"  she  cried.  "  Nay,  look 
70 


The  Fearsome  Island 

not  at  me  thus!     What  have   I  done? 
What  is  my  fault?  " 

I   made  no  answer  to  her  question. 

"  I  give  thee  one  minute's  grace  for 
prayer, ' '  said  I ;  "  and  pray  thy  hard- 
est, for  afterwards  thou  shalt  die  a 
swift  death." 

Again  she  asked  me  for  reason  and 
explanation  of  my  harsh  conduct,  but 
I  uttered  no  word.  Still  I  stood  with 
lowered  blade,  counting  the  seconds 
till  I  should  have  counted  sixty.  The 
last  ten  I  spoke  aloud,  so  that  the  tor- 
ture and  the  suspense  might  be  the 
greater. 

"  Fifty  -seven!"  I  said.  ''Fifty- 
eight!" — I  hardly  knew  my  own  voice, 
'twas  that  stern  and  hard.  V  Fifty- 
nine!"     "Six "I     began,     but 

stopped  short,  for  the  hag  had  sprung 
to  her  feet,  and  with  a  terrible  cry  as 
of  a  wild  panther  at  bay,  she  crossed 
the  room  to  where  hung  on  the  wall 
the  heavy  curtain  of  red  silk. 
7* 


The  Fearsome  Island 

"  Don  Diego,  my  father,  I  crave  thy 
help!"  she  cried  aloud,  and  her  voice 
shrieked  high  and  unearthly  —  such  a 
voice  as  neither  human  man  nor  wo- 
man has  ever  heard  or  uttered.  With 
her  lean  hand  she  drew  aside  the  cur- 
tain, and  there  stood  before  me  a  man 
with  coal-black  eyes,  so  hard,  so  pierc- 
ing, that  they  froze  the  blood  in  my 
veins,  and  the  marrow  in  my  back 
so  that  I  was  held  fast,  and  stood 
still  and  rigid,  as  I  have  seen  birds 
pause,  fixed  and  motionless,  when 
held  fast  by  the  glassy  eyes  of  a 
serpent.  The  naked  blade  dropped 
from  my  ice-cold  hand  on  to  the 
floor,  for  I  was  transfixed  and  rendered 
without  strength;  and  perforce  had  I 
to  gaze  and  yet  gaze  more,  with  both 
my  eyes  sealed  fast  to  the  eyes  of  this 
apparition. 

I  recall  this  new  figure  well,  and,  in- 
deed, with  good  reason.  'Twas  a  man 
of  middle  age,  clad  in  black  velvet,  and 
72 


The  Fearsome  Island 

with  a  bare  head.  The  face  I  shall 
never  forget;  so  proud,  so  fierce,  so 
saturnine  was  its  expression  that  even 
now,  with  eyes  closed,  I  can  see  it  as 
distinct  to-day  as  I  could  on  that,  our 
first  and  last  encounter.  The  com- 
plexion was  dark,  swarthy  as  that  of  a 
Spaniard;  on  the  chin  was  a  peaked 
beard,  and  the  hair  on  the  man's  head 
was  coal-black;  yet  beyond  all  stood 
out  the  two  eyes  that  held  me  fast  as 
if  by  magic. 

Thus  stood  I,  spellbound  and  unable 
to  stir  hand  or  foot,  and  round  me 
walked  the  bent  hag,  gleeful  of  mood, 
rubbing  her  two  hands  round  about 
each  other,  and  mewing  with  pleasure 
like  some  great  cat.  For  awhile  she 
hovered  round  about  me,  enjoying  to 
the  full  my  discomfiture;  then,  from  a 
chest,  she  brought  out  a  mirror,  and 
for  an  instant  she  held  it  'twixt  me  and 
the  coal-black  eyes  that  gripped  mine 
own.  The  face  that  I  saw  was  ghastly 
73 


The  Fearsome  Island 

white  under  my  brown  beard,  on  my 
brow  stood  glassy  beads  of  sweat,  the 
lines  of  fear  made  my  face  lowly  and 
mean,  and  mine  eyes  were  wide  open 
and  without  life  or  power.  She  with- 
drew the  mirror,  and  once  again  I  was 
spellbound  by  the  sable  figure  with  the 
evil  glance. 

"  Shall  I  draw  the  curtain?"  she 
whispered  in  my  ear. 

"Yes." 

There  was  no  sound,  but  she  marked 
the  words  on  my  lips. 

"You  have  seen  sufficient;  would 
you  not  like  yet  one  more  look?" 

She  held  the  silk  in  her  bony  hand. 

"  No!  for  the  sake  of  the  Virgin — " 

The  words  stuck  in  my  throat  for  I 
was  hoarse  with  terror. 

"  Swear  thou  wilt  leave  me  in  peace, 
and  never  more  enter  this  chamber!" 

"  I  swear!" 

I  would  have  sworn  away  my  hopes 


74 


The  Fearsome  Island 

of  life  and  Heaven  in  that  moment,  so 
empty  was  I  of  power  and  courage. 

"  Now  go!"  she  cried,  and  the  cur- 
tain was  drawn  once  more  over  those 
hell-born  eyes.  Her  hand  still 
clutched  the  silk,  and  at  any  moment 
the  man  in  black  might  once  more 
stand  before  me. 

Hastily  I  turned  to  the  doorway,  yet 
before  I  left  the  chamber  she  held  the 
mirror  once  more  before  my  face;  but 
all  that  I  saw  was  a  mist  on  the  glass, 
and  there  was  no  reflection  either  of 
my  face  or  aught  else. 

Fearfully  I  sprang  down  stairs,  in 
haste  and  as  though  pursued  by  ten 
million  devils,  for  had  I  not  been  on  the 
near  confines  of  hell  and  gazed  on  what 
no  human  eye  ever  was  fashioned  to  gaze 
upon?  For  the  eyes  in  my  head  were 
without  true  sight,  and  all  before  them 
was  yellow  and  formless,  as  though  I 
had  stared  into  the  face  of  the  sun  and 
been  blinded  by  its  glare. 
75 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Terror-struck  and  abject,  I  kept  far 
away  from  the  castle  till  such  time  as 
hunger  forced  me  to  the  store-room 
and  the  cellar.  To  drown  my  fear  and 
anguish,  I  drank  deeper  on  that  day 
than  I  have  ever  drunk  before  or  since. 
My  head  was  afire  and  my  gait  hap- 
hazard when,  with  a  flask  of  red  wine 
under  each  arm,  I  once  more  set  out 
for  my  lair  in  the  woods.  As  I  passed 
through  the  great  hall  my  attention 
was  aroused  by  a  mirror,  alike  in 
form  and  size  to  the  one  that  the  Hag 
'of  the  Turret  had  held  before  my  face 
in  the  morning.  It  lay  on  one  of  the 
couches. 

"  There  will  be  no  fearsome  face  all 
white  and  chattering  now,"  said  I 
thickly,  and  I  could  feel  the  wine  burn- 
ing under  my  skin.  My  heart  was 
light  and  careless,  and  I  picked  up  the 
mirror  and  gazed  into  it;  an  instant 
later  I  had  dashed  it  to  the  ground, 
where  it  splintered  into  a  thousand 
76 


The  Fearsome  Island 

fragments;  for  by  all  Heaven  and 
earth,  I  had  gazed  at  the  same  terror- 
torn  face,  all  white  and  bloodless,  that 
I  had  seen  reflected  in  this  very  mirror 
when  it  was  held  up  between  my  eyes 
and  the  apparition  that  was  in  the  tur- 
ret behind  the  heavy  curtain  of  red  silk ! 

Hastily  I  left  the  castle  and  wan- 
dered to  a  seat  in  the  forsaken  garden, 
where  I  thought  and  quaked  anew,  for 
the  courage  that  the  wine  had  lent  me 
was  all  but  fled,  and  I  was  as  a  child 
that  has  been  burnt  to  the  bone  and  is 
once  more  face  to  face  with  the  fire, 
only  'twas  Sorcery  that  I  stood  in  awe 
of,  and  I  had  suffered  o'ermuch  from 
it.  As  I  sat  thus  trembling  in  all  my 
four  limbs,  may  I  be  lost  in  the  deep- 
est pit  if  the  curst  witch  did  not  find 
me  out  and  make  mock  of  me! 

V  Silas  Fordred,  master-mariner   of 
Hythe,  where  be  thy  courage  and  thy 
cunning    now?     Ha!    ha!"    and    she 
laughed  long  and  high  in  her  throat. 
77 


The  Fearsome  Island 

I  said  no  word,  and  my  chin  was  on 
my  chest,  that  weary  and  spent  was  I. 

"  It  was  not  well  to  threaten,  aye, 
and  seek  to  slay  an  old  woman  that 
had  done  thee  no  harm !  Even  if  thy 
evil  planning  had  succeeded  it  would 
not  have  been  well;  the  Hag  of  the 
Turret  would  not  have  died  un- 
avenged, for  thou  art  but  a  man — a 
weak,  common  man, — with  naught  but 
brute  strength  and  a  cowardly  heart!" 

"  Get  thee  away!  I  have  suffered 
enough,  so  leave  me  in  peace!" 

'*  Not  yet,  I  have  not  done  with 
thee  yet.  Come  with  me  and  I  will 
show  thee  a  brave  sight." 

*'  Away  old  hag,  or  I  shall  do  thee 
harm!"  I  cried. 

She  laughed  all  around  her  mouth, 
showing  her  toothless  gums,  and  the 
roots  of  the  two  brown  fangs  that  were 
on  either  side.  Her  hand  went  to 
her  girdle,  and  I  could  see  the  gleam 
of  a  blood-red  stone  above  her  fingers 
78 


The  Fearsome  Island 

that  were  clutching  the  hilt  of  a  long 
dagger. 

"  Come!  you  will  come?"  she  plead- 
ed, for  now  her  voice  took  on  a  wheed- 
ling tone ;  and  she  turned  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  three  chambers  that  stood 
separate  and  side  by  side  with  closed 
doors. 

I  followed  her.  Heaven  alone  know- 
eth  why  I  rose  to  my  feet  at  her  behest 
and  went  the  same  way  as  she.  All  I 
can  say  is  that  I  had  a  lurking  hope  in 
my  heart  that  something  of  chance  or 
justice  might  deliver  her  into  my 
hands,  and  then 

'•  You  come!  you  obey  me,  Silas 
Fordred!  Do  you  hope  to  push  me 
across  the  threshold  of  the  Dark  Cham- 
ber, eh?"  and  her  hand  went  signifi- 
cantly to  the  dagger-hilt  with  the  great 
ruby  at  its  head. 

She  had  read  the  thought  of  ven- 
geance from  my  face,  and  silently  I 
vowed  I  would  think  no  more;  but, 
79 


The  Fearsome  Island 

when  the  fit  moment  arrived,  I  would 
act,  and  she  should  die  whatever  dog's 
death  she  had  intended  for  me. 

By  now  we  had  reached  the  three 
chambers,  and,  as  once  before,  and  that 
on  a  memorable  occasion,  two  of  the 
doors  were  closed  and  the  other  stood 
wide  open.  Curiously  I  gazed  within, 
the  witch  marking  the  direction  of  my 
eyes,  and  noting  with  a  great  satisfac- 
tion their  expression  of  greed  and  lust 
of  gain ;  for  what  I  saw  was  a  chamber 
full  of  wide-open  chests,  and  caskets 
all  full  and  over-running  with  coloured 
gems  and  coined  gold.  'Twas  like 
what  I  had  seen  in  the  windows  of  the 
Lombards  that  change  moneys,  only 
here  were  precious  gems  in  such  a 
plenty  and  gold  pieces  by  the  bushel 
and  by  the  gallon ;  such  wealth  as  I 
had  never  gazed  on  before — aye,  and 
of  whose  mere  existence  I  had  not 
dreamed.  Though  I  tried  my  hardest, 
I  could  not  suppress  all  desire ;  and,  as 
80 


The  Fearsome  Island 

my  eyes  lit  up,  the  bearded  hag  no- 
ticed my  thirst,  and  chuckled  and 
made  strange  noises  of  satisfaction. 

"  'Tis  some  other  devil's  business, 
of  that  I  have  no  doubt,"  said  I  in- 
wardly, and  calming  myself  I  stood 
firm  and  cold  before  the  doorway. 

14  Thou  canst  go  and  take  what 
wealth  that  pleases  thee,"  cried  the 
hag  in  my  ear. 

I  made  no  answer,  but  stood  firm 
and  at  a  good  space  from  the  door- 
way. 

"  Thou  wilt  have  riches  enough  to 
purchase  a  whole  county ;  thou  wilt  be 
able  to  build  schools  and  churches,  and 
thou  wilt  be  the  first  commoner  in  all 
Hythe  Borough,  plain  Master  Silas 
Fordred  the  mariner." 

I  smiled  disdainfully,  the  wine  I  had 
recently  drunk  coming  once  more  to 
my  aid. 

"  Nay,  nay,"  I  said.  "  I  have  had 
enough  of  thy  riches  and  thy  lures,  I 
81 


The  Fearsome  Island 

will  none  of  them!"  and  I  turned  on 
my  heel. 

"  Surely,  friend  Silas,"  she  cried, 
"  thou  art  but  a  fool,  and  not  the 
clever  knave  that  I  mistook  thee  for!" 

' '  Aye,  aye,  that  I  know  well,  and 
more  beside, ' '  said  I  with  a  smile,  and 
moved  away  from  her.  She  was  greatly 
angered  and  the  corners  of  her  mouth 
twitched  with  suppressed  rage.  Still 
she  hobbled  after  me,  did  this  bent 
hag. 

"  Come  back,  friend  Silas!  "  she 
called.  "  Come  back  and  plunge  both 
thy  arms  into  this  wealth ;  truly  thou 
shalt  come  to  no  harm — nay  more,  I 
will  enter  with  thee!" 

"  Thrice  have  I  answered  thee,  and 
each  time  said  I  nay ;  let  this  be  my 
last  word  and  thine!"  and  I  stood 
away  from  her  with  folded  arms. 

1 '  Truly  thou  makest  me  impatient ! 
Enter  with  me  now,  or  never  shalt 
thou  enter  the  Chamber  of  Riches,  and 
82 


The  Fearsome  Island 

a  poor  man  shalt  thou  die,  naked  and 
with  an  empty  belly!" 

I  said  no  word  in  reply. 

"  Never  in  all  thy  life  shalt  thou 
enter!''  she  hissed  in  my  ear. 

"  Calm  thyself,  bent  hag,  calm  thy- 
self; thy  conduct  befits  not  thy  years!" 
and  I  laughed  aloud  in  her  face,  so 
that  she  grew  a  deep  yellow  with  rage 
and  hatred.  With  that  I  set  off  for 
the  wood,  and  left  her  spitting  and 
afume  before  the  open  doorway. 

I  had  not  gone  many  steps  when  I 
turned  round  and  saw  that  she  was  on 
my  heels,  her  lips  white  with  passion, 
her  expression  more  evil  and  menacing 
than  I  had  as  yet  seen  it,  her  eyes 
fierce  and  glittering  as  a  hawk's. 

M  Thou  wilt  enter  yon  doorway, 
Silas  Fordred!"  she  cried,  and  beat 
on  the  ground  with  her  staff. 

**  I  will  not,  thou  moth-eaten  fury! 
get  thee  to  the  devil!"  and  I  laughed 
aloud  in  her  face. 

83 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Her  yellow  visage  changed  to  a  deep 
orange,  and  great  veins  stood  out  on 
her  lean  cheeks  and  forehead. 

"  Thou  wilt  enter  yon  chamber,  that 
I  swear,  either  alive  or  else  dead !  but 
enter  yon  chamber  thou  shalt!  "  and 
her  voice  choked  short  in  her  neck. 

"  I  shall  not!  "  said  I,  quite  cold. 

"Thou    shalt!"    she   shrieked.       I 
smiled  broad  into  her  face,  so  that,  los- 
ing all  prudence  and  all  self-command, 
she  spat  and  boiled  at  the  mouth,  hiss 
ing  like  a  serpent  in  pain. 

I  watched  her  with  an  indifferent  eye. 

' '  Thou  shalt  enter !  ' '  she  cried ; 
"  living  or  dead,  thou  shalt  enter!" 
and  so  saying  she  snatched  the  dagger 
from  her  girdle  and  flew  at  me  in  a 
fury  of  hate  and  bitter  rage. 

Well  I  remember  how  the  long,  lean 
blade  flashed  'twixt  my  face  and  the 
sky,  and  how,  an  instant  later,  I  had 
her  wrist  tight  in  my  two  hands ;  then 
there  was  a  noise  as  of  a  twig  snap- 
84 


The  Fearsome  Island 

ping,  and  the  bone  of  her  arm,  dry  and 
brittle  with  age,  broke  into  two  pieces, 
while  I  fell  forward  as  the  strain  gave 
way.  Quickly  I  arose  to  my  feet,  and 
she  was  at  me  again,  yet  this  time  the 
dagger  lay  on  the  ground,  and  she 
came  to  me  with  wide-open  mouth, 
the  brown  fang  on  either  side  bare  to 
the  roots;  the  fingers  of  her  one  hand 
were  apart  and  curved  like  claws,  and 
the  other  arm  hung  loose  at  her  side, 
the  lower  half  flapping  idly  to  and  fro 
as  she  moved.  Like  to  a  tigress,  with 
the  white  froth  on  her  parted  lips,  she 
sprang  at  me,  and  I,  mad  with  hate 
and  rage,  forced  my  one  hand  through 
her  wide  open  jaws,  while  with  the 
other  I  clasped  her  lean  legs  at  the 
bend.  High  I  held  her  in  the  air  and 
ran  thus,  she  swinging  above  my  head, 
hissing  and  writhing  with  pain  and 
hatred.  High  above  my  head  she 
twisted  and  turned,  and  then  I  flung 
her  with  all  my  strength,  whirled  her 
8s 


The  Fearsome  Island 

clean  and  clear  through  the  wide-open 
doorway  of  the  Chamber  of  Riches, 
where  were  the  coloured  jewels  and 
the  chests  of  gold.  As  the  lean 
shanks  were  freed  and  my  hands  drew 
across  the  toothless  gums,  the  two 
fangs  on  the  sides  of  her  mouth  snap- 
ped short  and  fell  at  my  feet,  while 
overhead  there  swished  through  the  air 
that  cursed  Hag  of  the  Turret,  to  light 
with  all  force  amid  the  gold  and  pre- 
cious gems.  To  earth  she  fell  with  a 
rattling  sound,  and  that  was  the  last  I 
saw  or  ever  shall  see  of  her  lean  car- 
case, for,  in  the  self-same  moment  as 
she  touched  ground,  a  broad  sheet  of 
flame,  yellow  as  the  gold  within,  filled 
the  entire  chamber,  dropped  from  ceil- 
ing to  floor  a  curtain  of  fire.  I  gazed 
breathless  and  awestruck  at  this  spec- 
tacle, yet  with  a  keen  joy  in  my  heart 
as  I  thought  of  the  Hag  of  the  Turret, 
who  must  now  be  roasting  within  as 
later  she  would  broil  in  Hell.  For  the 
86 


The  Fearsome  Island 

space  of  ten  seconds  the  broad  flame 
licked  and  waved,  then  it  expired  and 
all  was  clear  and  simple  as  before,  only 
the  Hag  of  the  Turret  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen,  and  for  that  I  thanked  God 
and  His  Son  and  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

At  my  feet,  that  had  left  deep 
marks  in  the  turf  by  reason  of  my  last 
great  effort,  were  the  two  yellow  fangs 
that  had  broke  short  on  my  hand. 
These  I  picked  up  and  placed  carefully 
within  my  pouch  as  a  remembrance  of 
the  She-fiend  from  whose  mouth  they 
had  dropt;  and  you,  who  have  seen 
them  at  my  house  in  Stade  Street  can 
now  understand  why  I  troubled  to 
bring  home  with  me  ivory  of  so  worth- 
less a  nature. 

I  knelt  long  and  devoutly,  praying 
to  the  God  that  had  rid  me  of  so  curst 
a  companion,  voicing  my  thanks  with 
much  direct  and  grateful  speech ;  and, 
even  when  I  could  no  more  think  of 
fitting  phrases,  I  still  knelt  with  closed 
87 


The  Fearsome  Island 

eyes,  as  my  thanks  swelled  in  my  heart 
and  spoke  for  me — aye,  and  perhaps 
with  a  sweeter  tongue  than  the  bald 
utterances  which  were  all  that  so  sim- 
ple a  man  as  myself  could  think  of 
and  weave  into  a  prayer.  At  length, 
these  devotions  and  some  tears  having 
eased  my  heart,  I  looked  up,  and  in 
front  of  me  and  on  all  fours  was  the 
hairy  man  looking  humbly  into  my 
face.  As  our  glances  met,  he  pranced 
around  like  a  colt  that  is  out  at  pas- 
ture, put  his  face  to  the  ground  and 
placed  my  hand  to  his  head,  so  that  I 
wondered  whether  he  did  not  mistake 
me  for  a  priest  and  was  seeking  my 
blessing.  I  knew  that  he  had  seen  me 
at  prayer,  and  that,  perchance,  I  had 
misled  him  into  holding  that  I  was 
a  priest. 

M  I   am  no  friar,"    I   cried,    M  but 
plain  Silas  Fordred,  master-mariner  of 
Hythe,  that  suffered  shipwreck  on  this 
accursed  island  some  months  since." 
88 


The  Fearsome  Island 

The  hairy  man  spoke  not,  but,  in- 
stead, he  made  strange  noises  as  do 
the  beasts  of  the  forest,  and  signs  with 
his   arms   like    unto   a    negro    trader. 

Once  more  he  pressed  my  hand  to 
his  head,  and  he  was  about  to  lay  his 
cheek  against  my  feet,  when  I  arose 
with  some  choler. 

"  Hairy  man,"  said  I,  "  thou  art 
little  better  than  a  fool !  Bear  thee  as 
a  man,  and  not  as  a  dog  that  has  been 
lately  whipped!" 

Yet  again  and  for  some  time  longer 
he  pranced  for  joy,  and  pointed  first 
to  his  eyes  and  then  into  the  chamber 
with  the  wide-open  door,  wherein  the 
witch  had  lately  disappeared. 

"  Did'st  see  the  somersault  she 
turned?"  I  asked.  M  'Twas  bravely 
done,  aye,  thou  naked  one?" 

He  recognised  the  cheery  tone  of  my 

voice  and  once  more  skipped  joyfully 

toward  me,  while  I,  somewhat  weary 

of  his  too  evident  pleasure,  smote  him 

89 


The  Fearsome  Island 

heavily  in  the  ribs,  so  that  he  was  grat- 
ified, yet  not  too  much  so.  After  I 
had  taken  this  precaution,  he  kept  at 
a  safe  distance  from  me,  and  though 
ever  and  anon  there  came  a  smile  into 
the  corner  of  his  eye,  he  ventured  no 
more  within  reach  of  my  foot  or  fist 
till  his  joy  was  of  a  calmer  nature. 

After  awhile  I  went  into  the  castle, 
the  savage  following  close  at  my  heel. 

I  had  that  day  triumphed  over  the 
Hag  of  the  Turret,  and  the  presence  of 
a  companion — aye,  even  of  a  compan- 
ion that  spoke  no  real  tongue,  and, 
moreover,  was  hairy  from  head  to  toe, 
— had  given  me  new  hope  and  cour- 
age ;  so  much  so,  that  I  resolved  forth- 
with, and  while  my  revived  manhood 
was  still  hot  within  me,  to  mount  the 
turret  stairway  and  see  whether  I  could 
not  conquer  the  evil-eyed  monster  be- 
yond the  curtain,  as  I  had  conquered 
the  hag,  his  friend. 

I  had  read  the  story  of  David  and 
90 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Goliath,  and  I  was  minded  to  meet 
this  foe  even  as  the  Hebrew  Harpist 
had  met  the  Philistine;  but  I,  having 
neither  sling  nor  stone,  took  with  me 
instead  a  heavy  hammer  of  iron,  which 
weapon  I  resolved  to  hurl  at  the  evil 
one's  head  the  moment  that  the  hairy 
man,  whom  I  should  so  instruct,  had 
withdrawn  the  curtain. 

Stealthily,  so  as  not  to  give  alarm 
and  warning  to  the  black-browed  Sor- 
cerer overhead,  we  mounted  the  nar- 
row stairway,  and,  with  some  catching 
at  our  breath,  entered  the  doorway  of 
the  turret  chamber.  Within  this  de- 
serted apartment  was  deep  stillness, 
and  at  the  far  end  hung  the  heavy  cur- 
tain of  red  silk,  lengthways,  from  ceil- 
ing to  flagstone  as  before.  With  some 
trouble  and  after  a  great  making  of 
signs,  I  at  length  instructed  my  new- 
found ally  in  his  duty,  and  at  a  signal 
from  me  the  curtain  was  drawn  aside, 
and  quick,  before  the  sinister  face  had 
91 


The  Fearsome  Island 

power  to  hold  me,  I  flung  the  ham- 
mer at  it  with  all  my  force.  No 
sooner  had  the  haft  left  my  hand  than 
a  great  fear  seized  upon  me,  and  I 
closed  my  eyes,  wondering  what  dire 
consequences  would  follow  on  my  at- 
tack. 

I  stood  in  darkness  many  long  sec- 
onds, expecting  the  turret  to  sway  and 
topple  to  the  earth — aye,  yet  stranger 
and  more  hurtful  events  and  mis- 
chances did  I  think  of, — yet  through 
the  stillness  there  came  only  one  sound 
— the  falling  of  a  shower  of  splintered 
glass  that  recalled  the  breaking  of  the 
mirror  that  I  had  flung  from  me  in 
the  morning.  I  opened  my  eyes,  and 
beyond  the  curtain  that  the  hairy  man 
still  held  to  his  side  (and  his  face  was 
in  that  moment  a  fine  picture  of  varied 
humours)  there  was  naught  but  an 
empty  space,  under  which  was  in- 
scribed in  tall  letters  of  ebony: 
"  DIGO  RODRICOVEZ," 
92 


The  Fearsome  Island 

and  on  the  floor  of  the  chamber  lay  a 
thousand  fragments  of  glass.  Many  of 
these  I  stooped  over  and  gazed  at  with 
much  curiosity.  Most  of  them  were 
portions  of  a  mirror,  so  that  in  their 
depths  I  caught  glimpses  of  my  own 
face;  on  others  were  patches  of  black 
velvet ;  and  in  one  I  met  the  ear  and 
awful  eye  of  the  figure  that  had  struck 
such  terror  into  me  on  that  self-same 
day.  I  put  these  pieces  of  glass  aside 
and  pondered,  while  all  the  time  the 
hairy  man  stood  awestruck  and  silent 
before  me. 

"  Man  of  the  furry  hide,"  said  I  at 
last,  "  surely  this  was  a  mirror,  much 
such  an  one  as  that  which  carried  the 
imprint  of  my  face  this  morning,  and 
in  it  yon  demon — and  Heaven  alone 
knoweth  where  and  what  he  be — had 
gazed  at  some  one  time  or  another. 
His  evil  eye  it  was  that,  reflected  in 
this  glass,  transfixed  and  held  me  mo- 
tionless some  few  hours  since.  'Twas 
93 


The  Fearsome  Island 

no  real  man  that  I  saw,  but  a  shadow 
wrought  by  black  magic  and  strange 
crafts.  The  witch,  praise  be  to 
Heaven,  hath  paid  the  price  of  her  evil- 
doings,  and  there  will  be  no  new  Sorcery 
on  this  island  for  many  a  long  day!" 

I  looked  at  the  tall  letters  of  ebony 
once  more  and  repeated  them  many 
times,  marvelling  greatly  as  to  their 
meaning  and  significance.  Then  a 
thought  came  to  me — one  that  I  had 
strangely  overlooked  —  that  filled  my 
breast  and  mind  with  new  alarms:  "  If 
the  mirror  I  had  shattered  held  but  a 
reflection  of  a  Sorcerer,  where  was  that 
Sorcerer's  self,  and  might  not  he  at 
any  moment  weave  some  new  spell 
about  me — aye,  perchance  at  this  pres- 
ent instant  he  might  be  planning  my 
destruction?" 

Many  times  I  repeated  the  two  ebon 
words  "  DlGO  RODRICOVEZ, "  marvel- 
ling the  while  greatly  as  to  what  could 
be  their  meaning  and  significance. 
94 


The  Fearsome  Island 

From  the  turret  we  once  more  de- 
scended to  the  garden,  where  stood  the 
chamber  that  was  the  tomb  of  the  Hag 
of  the  Turret.  The  door  was  still  wide 
open  and  the  wealth  within  tempted 
me  greatly,  although  I  was  well  aware 
of  the  uselessness  of  riches  in  my  pres- 
ent plight.  Such  is  the  force  of  custom 
and  habit.  I  made  my  way  from 
thence,  resolved  to  let  well  alone  and 
to  touch  naught  else  that  might  in  any 
way  tempt  or  cause  me  harm.  I  passed 
the  third  chamber,  and  this  time  a 
fresh  doorway  stood  open,  so  that  I 
could  gaze  and  satisfy  my  curiosity. 
Now  I  saw  clear  into  a  room  quaintly 
alight  and  all  rosy  as  is  a  sunset,  and 
within  were  lovely  maidens  that 
neither  stirred  nor  spoke,  clad  in  won- 
drous thin  and  gauzy  garments,  and  of 
a  marvellous  fair  complexion  that  the 
tender  light  made  yet  more  strangely 
beautiful. 

"  Hairy  man,"  said  I,  "  let  us 
95 


The  Fearsome  Island 

away;  this  is  some  new  spell!"  and  I 
grasped  his  shoulder  and  the  two  of 
us  strode  hastily  from  the  spot,  onward 
through  the  garden.  As  I  pressed  for- 
ward past  the  place  where  I  had  strug- 
gled with  the  witch  I  made  out  some- 
thing that  glittered  on  the  grass. 
What  I  picked  up  was  the  dagger  that 
the  hag  had  sought  to  kill  me  with,  a 
long  blade  of  Spanish  steel,  and  at  its 
hilt  was  a  round  ruby.  This  I  stuck 
into  my  belt  that  I  had  lately  taken 
from  one  of  the  rooms  in  the  castle, 
for  my  own  leathern  girdle  was  still 
clenched  by  the  brazen  fist  that  swung 
on  the  castle  doorwway.  This  knife 
you  have  seen  in  company  with  my 
other  belongings,  and  such  of  you  as 
are  skilled  in  these  matters  can  testify 
as  to  the  fineness  of  the  workmanship 
and  the  lustre  of  the  precious  stone  at 
its  head. 

The  dusk  was  fast  approaching  and 
the  day  was  well-nigh  sped.     It  had 
96 


The  Fearsome  Island 

been  a  day  of  great  events  and  much 
danger  and  activity,  and  many  a  time 
within  the  last  twenty-four  hours  had 
my  heart  stuck  fast  in  my  throat  and 
my  teeth  chattered  in  my  mouth,  for 
it  is  not  given  to  every  man  to  perform 
deeds  of  valour  without  misgiving  and 
inward  qualms;  nay  more,  I  dare 
swear  that  the  bravest  hero — one  that 
can  face  human  enemies  without  know- 
ing dread  or  fear — would  have  shrunk 
aghast  at  the  black  sorceries  and  other 
superhuman  dangers  wherewith  I  had 
that  day  done  battle.  Now  my  mind 
was  somewhat  at  rest,  maybe  that  it 
shared  the  same  weariness  that  beset 
my  body;  also  was  my  hunger  great 
and  my  thirst  of  a  similar  quality. 
Long  did  the  hairy  man  and  I  sit 
together  in  the  store-room  making  a 
giant's  supper,  and  my  belt  hung  idly 
on  my  loins  and  I  was  scant  of  breath 
when  I  had  done.  My  new-found  ally 
sate  beside  me  on  the  floor,  eating  with 
97 


The  Fearsome  Island 

great  gusto  and  no  little  astonishment 
at  the  source  of  our  meal ;  he,  in  com- 
mon with  myself,  never  before  having 
seen  flesh  that  was  preserved  in  sealed 
tins,  nor  had  he  ever  tasted  wines  and 
heady  liquors  of  any  sort  till  this  same 
night.  We  drank  wisely,  and,  in  spite 
of  the  manifest  danger  of  the  action, 
fell  asleep  where  we  had  eaten,  this 
being  the  first  night  that  I  had  spent 
under  a  roof  since  the  day  that  I  and 
Thomas  Snoad  set  out  from  Hythe. 


Chapter  V 

HAIRY  MAN!"  said  I  next 
morning,  as  we  rubbed  our 
eyes  and  stretched  our  limbs,  for  we 
had  slept  deep,  "  henceforth  thou  shalt 
be  known  as  Esau,  a  fitter  name  and  a 
more  ancient.  Now,  Esau,  let  us  to 
breakfast,  and  afterwards  we  will  hold 
a  council  and  resolve  on  what  measures 
we  can  take  to  quit  this  thrice  accurst 
island,  and  all  that  it  holds." 

It  was  of  little  use,  this  converse 
with  Esau ;  but  it  was  good  and  cheer- 
ing to  hear  the  sound  of  my  voice, 
and,  when  I  spoke,  my  companion 
smiled  with  over-great  intelligence, 
although  he  understood  no  single  word. 

11  Esau,"  said  I,  when  our  meal  was 
done,  and  we  had  lain  for  some  time 
99 


The  Fearsome  Island 

on  the  floor  a-blinking  upward  at  the 
roofing,  "  what  shall  we  do  now?" 

I  waited  not  for  a  reply,  but  con- 
tinued : 

"  A  ship  we  will  build,  even  though 
it  be  but  a  small  one,  and  in  it  we  shall 
sail  away  from  this  witch-ridden  land, 
where  naught  is  safe  or  of  good 
health." 

Thereupon  we  arose,  and  made  our 
way  to  the  great  room  beyond  the  hall, 
the  chamber  that  was  like  to  a  huge 
smithy.  Here  there  were  axes  and 
saws  and  shipwright's  tools  in  plenty; 
also  a  barrow  with  wheels  and  a  light 
truck.  These  two  carriages  we  filled 
with  all  manner  of  implements,  and 
some  sacks  containing  the  smallware  of 
our  trade.  On  the  canvas  of  one  of 
these  last  was  painted,  strange  to  say, 
in  a  black  lettering,  clavos  de  fierro, 
words  that  signify  ship's  nails  in  the 
Spanish  tongue,  a  language  with  which 
I    am    well  acquainted   from   frequent 

IOO 


The  Fearsome  Island 

intercourse  with  the  mariners  of  that 
great  nation. 

Three  times  in  all  did  Esau  and  I 
make  the  journey,  'twixt  the  castle  and 
the  sea  shore.  After  our  first  journey 
we  built  a  rude  hut  wherein  to  place 
the  contents  of  our  barrow;  also  a 
somewhat  stronger  habitation  that 
would  give  us  shelter  at  night  time; 
for  I  was  o'erweary  of  sleeping  in  the 
open,  exposed  to  rain  and  whatever 
wind  and  weather  with  which  Provi- 
dence might  favour  me. 

Before  we  once  more  set  our  faces 
inland,  we  bathed  and  made  merry  in 
the  sea,  spending  much  such  a  day  as 
do  English  townsfolk  who  go  to  the 
shore  in  summer-time. 

All  about  us  was  unchanged,  and  the 
great  bronze  idol  kept  watch  and  ward 
over  the  coast,  silent  and  passive  as 
ever,  while  at  its  feet  the  bleached 
skeletons,  all  sundered  in  the  middle, 
were  strewn  here  and  there.     At  sight 


The  Fearsome  Island 

of  the  strange  god  the  smile  vanished 
from  Esau's  face,  and  he  beat  his  head 
on  the  sand  and  made  moan,  and  with 
clenched  fist  he  cried  aloud  in  the  idol's 
face,  and  made  deep  noises  in  his 
throat  that  were  his  manner  of  cursing; 
so  that  I  knew  that  he  could  be  no 
worshipper  of  the  great  bronze  god. 

"It  is  well,  friend  Esau,"  said  I, 
'*  and  I  am  overjoyed  to  find  thee  not 
idolatrous  and  a  heathen,  as  are  most 
wild  men." 

After  that  we  departed  once  more 
inland,  and  on  our  return  to  the  shore 
we  were  laden  with  sheets  and  cloths 
that  we  had  taken  from  the  great 
beds,  and  wax  and  stout  cords  and 
threads,  for  we  would  have  to  make 
sails  and  shrouds  for  our  mast.  What 
space  we  had  over  we  filled  with  the 
flesh  that  was  in  the  sealed  tins,  and 
flasks  of  wine,  and  swords  and  spears 
from  the  great  hall,  with  which  wea- 
pons we  hoped  to  slay  many  of  the 
1 02 


The  Fearsome  Island 

birds  and  beasts  in  the  woods,  so  that 
we  might  eat  fresh  meat  every  day. 

All  these  goods  were  stowed  care- 
fully away  in  our  hut,  and  then  we  set 
to  work  on  our  ship,  hewing  down 
trees  in  the  woods,  and  labouring  with 
great  vigour  from  daybreak  to  dusk. 
In  the  evening  when  our  work  was 
done  we  would  walk  round  the  coast 
spying  for  a  sail  or  sign  of  man,  yet 
none  such  did  we  ever  see ;  and  always 
there  confronted  us  the  great  bronze 
idol,  with  the  thirteen  white  gems  at 
its  throat. 

Now,  one  day  when  we  had  walked 
maybe  half  a  league  along  the  lonely 
strand,  we  chanced  on  what  seemed 
to  be  a  bower,  and,  as  we  came  closer, 
we  could  see  that  what  we  had  mis- 
taken for  an  arbour  was  a  long  low 
house  of  wood  with  but  three  walls  and 
a  roof,  all  overgrown  with  moss  and 
trailing  plants.  Carefully  we  ap- 
proached, and  walked  round  the  house, 
*°3 


The  Fearsome  Island 

first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other, 
till  we  came  to  the  front  that  faced  the 
sea,  the  side  that  was  open  and  had  no 
wall,  and  here  we  discerned  the  prow 
of  a  small  ship.  The  blood  rushed  to 
my  face  at  the  sight,  and  I  ran  forward 
in  great  haste  so  that  my  hands  might 
feel  what  mine  eyes  had  beheld.  Of 
truth,  it  was  a  ship,  wondrous  light, 
yet  of  a  marvellous  secure  build,  as  I 
that  am  a  seaman  could  rightly  vouch 
for,  and  as  you  that  have  seen  it  with- 
out my  house  in  Stade  Street  can  tes- 
tify. 

This  strange  vessel  had  neither  mast, 
sail,  nor  oar.  It  was  all  open  and 
bare,  save  but  for  a  single  cabin  that 
was  furnished  for  extreme  comfort  and 
ease,  and,  at  the  one  end,  the  body  of 
the  vessel  was  made  solid  with  wooden 
planking,  atop  of  which  were  three 
handles  of  silver,  wrought  like  the  han- 
dles of  a  door.  At  first  I  feared  that 
the  ship  was  of  witchcraft  like  unto  the 
104 


The  Fearsome  Island 

other  marvels  that  I  had  encountered 
in  this  island;  neverthless,  Esau  and 
myself  slept  that  night  secure  within 
the  cabin,  without  evil  dream  or  other 
harm,  so  that  on  the  morrow  I  be- 
thought me  that  this  was  of  good 
omen,  and,  be  the  silver  handles  what 
they  might,  I  would  venture  across  the 
seas  in  this  strange  barque. 

Under  the  ship  was  a  wooden  stage, 
long  and  broad,  with  wheels  that  I 
greased  with  the  fat  of  a  beast,  so  that, 
without  great  ado,  Esau  and  I  were 
able  to  float  our  new-found  prize,  and, 
with  the  oars  that  we  had  already 
fashioned,  we  rowed  near  a  league 
along  the  shore  without  mishap,  save 
that  Esau,  who  was  no  waterman,  did 
fall  heavily  backward  more  times  than 
once.  The  last  part  of  our  journey 
was  performed  at  some  speed,  for  this 
barque  was  marvellously  light,  being 
mostly  built  of  cork  that  weighs  but 
little ;  and  what  steel  and  timber  that 
105 


The  Fearsome  Island 

was  used  in  its  construction  was  of  a 
fine  quality,  very  strong,  yet  in  nowise 
weighty. 

Thankful  was  I  that  Providence  had 
put  in  my  path  the  thing  that  of  all 
things  I  most  desired;  and  now  that 
we  had  a  vessel,  I  resolved  that  we 
would  put  to  sea  with  the  least  possible 
delay,  and  get  us  away  from  the  hea- 
then land  where  but  to  be  alive  was  a 
great  danger. 

Yet,  before  we  hoisted  our  sail  to 
the  winds  and  disappeared  down  the 
horizon,  I  resolved  to  make  one  last 
journey  to  the  castle  on  the  hill-top, 
for  our  stores  of  flesh  and  wine  were 
getting  low,  and  I  had  hidden  my  gold 
platters  in  the  wood;  and  these  I  re- 
solved to  take  with  us,  they  being  of 
great  price. 

Esau  and  I  had  made  us  a  mast  and 

a  stout  sail    with  all  needful  tackle  in 

the  shape  of  shrouds  and  sheets,  and 

we    had    only    to    get    provisions    and 

io6 


The  Fearsome  Island 

fresh  water  aboard  before  setting  out 
to  a  port  of  safety. 

Once  more  we  went  a-journeying 
with  our  two  barrows  through  the 
woods  and  pasture  lands  that  lay  be- 
tween the  seashore  and  the  castle. 
As  ever,  the  brazen  hand  still  clenched 
my  girdle  of  leather  and  the  gate  stood 
wide  open. 

First  of  all  we  went  down  to  my  old 
lair  in  the  woods  and  loaded  the  gold 
vessels  into  my  barrow,  and  then  we 
spent  some  time  going  to  and  fro 
with  armfuls  of  provisions  and  flasks 
of  wine  till  both  our  barrows  could 
hold  no  more.  This  done,  we  had  a 
farewell  repast  in  the  store-room,  and 
we  sat  making  merry  till  Esau  sudden- 
ly sprang  up  and  ran  swiftly  to  the 
gateway;  then  he  rushed  madly  down- 
hill to  the  wood,  signing  with  his  head 
and  arms  that  he  would  return  ere  sun- 
down. Marvelling  greatly  as  to  the 
meaning  of  this  sudden  flight,  I 
107 


The  Fearsome  Island 

watched  him  disappear  in  the  foliage, 
and  then  for  the  last  time  I  wandered 
through  the  castle.  All  was  still  as 
death  and  utterly  deserted,  and  yet, 
thought  I,  as  I  sat  in  the  great  smith's 
shop,  "  It  would  be  well  were  I  to 
save  other  shipwrecked  mariners  from 
the  spells  and  sorceries  that  had  done 
unto  death  Thomas  Snoad  and  Satan, 
the  black  cat ;  and  from  which  I  my- 
self had  but  barely  escaped,  and  of 
which  Esau,  the  hairy  man,  stood  in 
such  evident  fear."  Therefore,  I  hied 
me  to  the  cellar  where  were  the  barrels 
of  gunpowder  that  I  have  spoken  of 
before,  and,  labouring  hard,  I  piled 
eight  of  these  in  the  great  hall,  five  I 
left  below  —  they  were  sufficient  to 
have  destroyed  a  city  —  one  barrel  I 
placed  at  the  closed  doorway  of  the 
Dark  Chamber,  and,  as  I  was  rolling 
another  towards  the  chamber  with  the 
beauteous  maidens  and  the  rosy  light, 
whom  should  I  espy  but  Esau,  greatly 
106 


The  Fearsome  Island 

exercised  in  mind  and  body,  driving 
before  him  a  wild  pig  that  ran  shriek- 
ing and  in  evident  dread.  The  hairy 
man  followed  as  swift  as  any  hare,  and 
in  his  hand  he  held  a  stout  cudgel, 
with  which  he  ever  and  anon  bela- 
boured the  terrified  hog. 

Amazed,  I  surveyed  this  strange 
spectacle,  wondering  to  what  end  could 
serve  this  baiting  and  harrying  of  the 
ill-looking  creature.  We  were  all 
three  of  us  going  in  the  direction  of  the 
chamber  with  the  lovely  maidens,  and, 
as  I  approached,  I  could  see  that  the 
door  stood  wide  open  as  ever,  and  that 
the  damsels  were  wondrous  fair  to  gaze 
upon.  From  these  pleasant  reflections 
my  mind  was  called  back  to  my  com- 
rade, who  now  fell  to  thwacking  the 
wild  pig  more  mercilessly  than  before, 
so  that  the  airs  were  filled  with  a 
piteous  squealing  that,  mingled  with 
the  cries  of  Esau,  made  as  great  a 
tumult  as  the  island  had  ever  listened 
109 


The  Fearsome  Island 

to.  I  marked  the  open  door  and  then 
I  guessed  what  Esau  was  attempting. 
With  a  final  blow  he  drove  the  wild 
pig,  now  frantic  with  fear  and  pain, 
across  the  threshold  of  the  chamber, 
and  then  I  saw  what  manner  of  fate 
would  have  overtaken  me,  had  I  been 
foolish  enough  or  hasty  enough  to  have 
yielded  to  this  great  tempting  and  to 
have  ventured  into  that  house.  The 
wild  pig  rushed  headlong  to  its  fate,  as 
ghastly  and  as  merciless  a  doom  as  any 
that  e'er  befel  living  man  or  beast. 
For  one  moment  it  stood  within,  hesi- 
tating which  way  to  turn,  and  casting 
a  wild  eye  over  its  shoulder  at  its  bar- 
barous pursuer;  then,  like  to  the 
gnashing  of  a  thousand  hungry  teeth, 
there  fell  from  roof  to  floor  of  the 
chamber  countless  sharp-pointed  spears 
that  dropped  vertically,  with  a  great 
clamour  and  clashing  of  steel  as  the 
metal  heads  struck  the  flag-stones. 
Upon  every    square    foot   of    flooring 


The  Fearsome  Island 

there  fell  sure  and  straight  no  less  than 
three  of  these  sharp-pointed  rods  of 
iron,  so  that  as  I  looked  the  chamber 
was  barred  from  wall  to  wall,  thick 
with  iron  staves  as  is  a  forest  with 
trees.  By  eighteen  such  spears  was 
pierced  the  wild  pig,  held  hard  and 
fast,  so  that  he  died  upright  standing 
dead  and  bleeding  on  his  four  legs. 
The  lovely  maidens  neither  stirred  nor 
made  signs  either  of  horror  or  joy; 
they  stood  silent,  untouched  and  unin- 
jured, while  all  about  them  was  bar  on 
bar  of  iron. 

So  this  was  the  special  devilment 
that  overhung  the  third  chamber,  and 
straightway  I  rolled  my  cask  to  its  very 
threshold  in  the  same  manner  as  I  had 
placed  another  against  the  doorway  of 
the  Dark  Chamber.  Esau  and  I 
fetched  yet  another  barrel  and  this  we 
stood  upright  before  the  Chamber  of 
Riches,  so  that  the  ashes  of  the  Hag 
of   the  Turret  and   her   last    dwelling 


The  Fearsome  Island 

place  might  be  scattered  in  one  com- 
mon eruption. 

All  that  there  now  remained  for  me 
to  do,  was  to  lay  a  powder  train  'twixt 
all  these  barrels,  which  I  cheerily  set 
about,  making  a  black  line,  thick  and 
heavy,  that  ran  from  the  cellar  to  the 
great  hall  and  to  the  three  chambers, 
then  downhill  to  the  wood.  This 
done,  we  returned  for  our  two  barrows, 
that  we  trundled  along  to  a  good  mile 
beyond  where  ended  the  train  of  gun- 
powder. 

It  was  now  quite  dark,  and  we 
moved  hastily,  I  holding  in  my  hand  a 
box  of  the  red-tipped  splinters  of  wood 
that  when  rubbed  hard  burst  into 
flame.  Cautiously  and  with  great  care 
I  set  fire  to  the  end  of  the  powder 
train,  and  then  the  two  of  us  ran  till 
we  were  out  of  breath.  Presently 
there  were  two  reports  and  a  bright 
flame  spread  like  sheet-lightning  across 
the  night. 


The  Fearsome  Island 

"  The  Chambers!  "  I  cried,  as  a 
third  explosion  rang  out. 

We  were  now  beyond  the  wood  in 
an  open  country,  and  we  could  see  the 
castle  on  the  hill-top  stand  dark 
against  the  sky.  An  instant  later  and 
the  countryside  stood  out  green  and 
gold  as  in  broad  daylight,  and  turret 
and  walls  toppled  and  fell  as  does  a 
child's  house  that  is  built  of  wooden 
bricks,  and  then  was  blotted  out  and 
clouded  with  a  huge  volume  of  smoke, 
thick,  dense  and  opaque;  afterwards, 
silence  and  black  night,  and  all  was 
still  and  peaceful  as  before. 

Esau,  the  hairy  man,  had  witnessed 
this  great  spectacle,  and  now  frantic 
with  delight  he  capered  about  me  and 
knelt  at  my  feet  and  put  his  lips  to  my 
hands  till  I  had  perforce  to  kick  him 
hard  so  that  he  might  take  himself 
away  and  be  grateful  with  a  lesser 
show  of  devotion.     This  he  did,  rub- 


"3 


The  Fearsome  Island 

bing  his    flanks  and    the    other   spots 
where  my  foot  had  dwelt. 

So  was  that  accursed  castle  wiped 
from  off  the  face  of  this  earth,  and 
thus  were  Satan,  the  black  cat,  and 
Thomas  Snoad,  my  fellow-adventurer, 
avenged  fully  and  to  the  hilt. 


Chapter  VI 

THERE  was  a  feeling  of  triumph  in 
my  heart  as  once  more  we  jour- 
neyed to  the  sea-shore,  to  embark  on 
our  good  ship  and  set  sail  across  the 
green  waters.  Manfully  we  pushed 
our  barrows  before  us,  I  singing  brave 
songs  as  I  strode,  and,  though  our 
loads  were  weightier  than  they  had 
ever  been  before,  our  two  carriages 
seemed  wondrous  light  and  easy  of 
guidance. 

Hope  is  a  wondrous  well,  and  I  had 
drunk  deep  of  its  waters,  a  rare  medi- 
cine, that,  after  these  many  days  of 
fear  and  terror,  was  bringing  my  man- 
hood back  to  me  and  implanting  new 
courage  in  my  heart.  Our  ship  stood 
ready,  and  carefully  we  stowed  away 
"5 


The  Fearsome  Island 

our  provisions  and  the  spoils  of  the 
Dark  Chamber.  The  next  two  days 
we  went  a-hunting,  slaying  whatever 
beast  or  fowl  came  in  our  way,  so  that 
we  might  have  fresh  meat  in  plenty. 
Many  gourds  we  filled  with  fresh  water 
from  a  stream,  and,  on  the  third  day, 
we  resolved  that  we  would  hoist  our 
sail  at  sunrise  on  the  following  morning 
and  then  away. 

The  last  eve  I  paid  a  visit  of  farewell 
to  the  great  bronze  idol.  The  thirteen 
diamond  stones  sparkled  as  never  they 
had  sparkled  before,  and,  as  I  gazed, 
a  huge  desire  seized  on  me  and  grew  so 
strong  that  I,  feeling  that  with  the 
new  ship  had  come  new  strength  and 
power,  swore  loudly  and  with  many 
oaths  that  the  jewels  should  be  mine. 

In  the  morning  when  all  was  ready 
and  we  had  only  to  push  off  from  the 
shore  to  be  free  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  evil  and  the  magic  that  lurked 
within  this  bewitched  island,  I  helped 

116 


The  Fearsome  Island 

Esau  to  float  our  ship  and  instructed 
him  to  get  out  the  oars  and  row  close 
along  the  shore  till  he  was  opposite 
the  spot  where  stood  the  brazen  idol, 
making  sign  to  him  that  I  would  join 
him  at  that  place,  swimming  straight 
out  from  the  shore  onto  our  vessel. 

He  set  off  without  misgiving  of  any 
kind,  while  I,  walking  rapidly,  was 
presently  face  to  face  with  the  great 
figure  and  the  glistening  stones.  So 
that  I  might  have  the  more  courage  I 
talked  wildly  in  the  idol's  brazen  face, 
with  strange  grimaces  and  much  mock- 
ery, saying,  ' '  Thou  art  a  false  god  and 
the  jewels  be  not  thine,"  beside  other 
things  unwise  to  recall.  Also  did  I 
roll  my  tongue  at  the  dumb  figure  and 
I  spat  with  scorn  on  the  sand  at  its 
feet.  For  in  the  night-time,  as  I  lay 
awake,  I  had  thought  of  a  plan  where- 
by I  might  reach  the  necklet,  and  now 
I  approached  the  great  idol  with  a 
rope  that  I  made  fast  about  its  waist, 
117 


The  Fearsome  Island 

using  great  caution  and  keeping  well 
without  the  reach  of  the  brazen  arms. 
I  had  thought  that  I  might  approach 
the  idol  from  behind,  using  to  that  end 
the  half  of  my  rope  that  hung  from 
the  hips  to  the  ground  beside  me,  for, 
by  aid  of  the  rope,  I  could  reach  the 
figure's  middle,  from  thence  I  could 
easily  climb  to  the  brazen  shoulders, 
and  then  the  gems  would  be  mine. 

At  first  I  tried  to  ascend  the  rope 
with  my  hands,  dragging  my  body 
after  me ;  but  the  idol  was  at  too  great 
a  height  from  the  ground,  and  I  had 
not  sufficient  strength  to  reach  its 
waist,  where  I  would  have  obtained  a 
foothold.  I  attempted  this  manner  of 
reaching  the  necklace  till  I  was  well 
nigh  fit  to  drop  from  exhaustion,  and 
then,  this  having  failed,  another  plan 
came  to  me.  I  would  use  my  feet, 
steadying  myself  by  the  rope  and  thus 
climb,  step  by  step,  to  the  idol's  waist, 
much  as  children,  holding  their  father's 
118 


The  Fearsome  Island 

hands,  climb  from  his  knee  to  his  thigh 
and  then  upward  over  his  body  to  his 
shoulders.  Once  more  I  attempted  to 
ascend  the  huge  figure,  but  the  pol- 
ished bronze  was  all  smooth  and  slip- 
pery as  is  winter  ice,  so  that  my  feet 
could  get  no  foothold  and  moved  as 
if  they  had  been  greased  with  fat,  and 
after  every  few  steps  I  had  to  begin 
afresh.  Seven  times  I  fell,  hanging  by 
the  rope  in  mid-air  and  swinging  to  and 
fro  without  control  of  my  body.  At  the 
seventh  fall  I  was  mad  with  rage  and 
fury,  for  I  am  of  a  hot  temper,  and, 
losing  hold  of  my  rope  furiously  did  I 
run  round  to  the  face  of  the  great 
figure,  crying,  "  Idol,  thou  art  a  false 
god,  and  I,  Silas  Fordred,  fear  thee 
not,  nay,  nor  an  hundred  of  thy 
breed!"  and  much  more  of  a  like  na- 
ture. With  that  I  climbed  in  a  mad 
heat  onto  the  great  knee,  still  calling 
out  aloud  my  defiance,  from  thence  I 
onto  the  loins,  and,  as  my  hand 
119 


The  Fearsome  Island 

pressed  on  the  outstanding  breast,  I 
head  a  noise  as  of  metal  grinding 
against  metal  and  the  brazen  arms 
quivered,  while,  in  that  self-same  mo- 
ment, I  loosed  my  hold  and  fell  heavily 
to  earth,  and  over  my  head  I  heard  the 
clash  of  the  great  arms  as  they  met 
the  body — 'twas  as  the  striking  of  a 
bell.  I  lay  on  the  sea-shore,  stunned 
and  dazed  from  my  fall,  and  then  the 
ground  beside  me  shook  and  there  was 
a  noise  as  of  thunder  that  is  near.  For 
some  moments  I  was  without  sense  or 
understanding,  and  when  my  mind 
once  more  became  live  and  active  and 
I  had  rubbed  my  eyes,  wondering  the 
while  whether  I  was  on  earth  and  alive 
or  dead  and  in  the  realms  beyond, 
there  came  back  to  me  the  clash  of  the 
giant  arms  and  the  memory  of  how  I 
had  striven  to  wrest  the  necklet  from 
the  brazen  throat. 

The  sun  was  strong  in  my  eyes  and 
I  raised  my  head  trying  to  discover  the 
1 20 


The  Fearsome  Island 

exact  nature  of  what  had  befallen, 
and  behold,  at  my  side  lay  one  half  of 
the  bronze  idol,  that  was  broken  across 
the  middle  and  in  two  parts,  as  were 
Thomas  Snoad  and  the  skeletons  that 
lay  about  and  around  it.  The  lower 
half  of  the  figure  was  still  seated,  rigid 
and  meaningless;  the  upper  part  had 
fallen  onto  the  earth  beside  me,  and  on 
its  neck  glistened  and  shone  the  thir- 
teen great  diamonds.  Slowly  it  dawned 
upon  me  what  had  befallen,  and  I  ex- 
plained the  reason  of  the  severed  body 
thus:  the  brazen  arms  had  found  no 
body  to  break  their  force,  and  they 
had  closed  with  all  their  might  and 
weight  on  the  brass  body  of  the  idol's 
self,  and  had  sundered  it  as  they  had 
sundered  the  flesh  and  bones  of  poor 
Thomas  Snoad,  my  friend. 

Now  I  rose  to  my  feet  and  tore  the 
necklet  from  the  brazen  throat  that  lay 
all  helpless  at  my  side,  and  the  stones 
were  set  in  fine  gold,  and  close  at  hand 

121 


The  Fearsome  Island 

they  were  even  larger  and  brighter 
than  they  had  seemed  when  sparkling 
up  on  high  above  my  head. 

Gleefully  I  put  the  jewels  into  my 
pouch,  where  were  also  the  fangs  that 
I  had  broke  from  the  jaw  of  the  Hag 
of  the  Turret,  and  then  a  great  fear 
seized  on  me ;  for,  though  I  am  a  man, 
pious  and  a  believer  in  the  one  and 
only  God  and  His  Son  Jesus  and  the 
Virgin  Mary,  yet  still  did  I  dread  that 
the  idol  might  seek  to  avenge  what  I 
had  caused  to  befall,  and  quick  and 
straight,  without  halting,  yet  ever  and 
anon  looking  backward  over  my  shoul- 
der to  see  whether  or  not  I  was  pur- 
sued, I  ran  as  fast  as  my  legs  could 
bear  me  to  the  water's  edge  and  spied 
for  my  ship  and  Esau,  who  was  rowing 
her  close  in  shore.  They  were  near  at 
hand,  and,  with  a  cry  of  joy,  I  plunged 
into  the  surf,  first  feeling  at  my  pouch 
to  see  that  the  diamonds  were  secure 
within;  then  I  turned  hastily   to  the 

123 


The  Fearsome  Island 

land,  a  new  wave  of  dread  surging 
through  my  body.  Esau  marked  the 
swiftness  with  which  I  struck  out  from 
the  shore,  and  I  swam  like  one  pos- 
sessed, for,  following  me  with  the 
speed  of  the  wind  was  the  sable  figure 
of  the  turret,  he  whose  image  I  had 
destroyed  with  a  hammer  —  the  vile 
Sorcerer  himself.  At  last  I  clambered 
over  the  side  of  the  ship,  and  without 
a  word  I  sprang  in  a  cold  sweat  of  fear 
and  despair  to  the  rope  that  would 
hoist  our  sail,  and  when  Esau  knew 
that  I  was  tugging  for  the  dear  life,  he, 
too,  came  over  and  worked  beside  me, 
though  with  a  surprised  look  in  his 
face  as  if  he  wondered  as  to  the  cause 
of  this  excessive  fear  and  haste. 

"  Look,  look!"  I  cried,  "  he  follows 
us!"  and  I  pointed  to  the  shore,  and 
Esau  looked  and  shook  his  head. 
"  There  is  nothing,  you  say?  "  and  I, 
too,  turned  my  eyes  landward,  yet  all 
I  could  see  was  the  flat  foreshore  with 
1 23 


The  Fearsome  Island 

the  sundered  idol  and  the  woods  and 
foliage  beyond.  Only  when  we  were 
far  from  land,  with  the  sea  spreading 
white  under  our  keel,  did  I  regain  my 
composure  and  throw  off  the  fear  that 
had  seized  upon  me  as  I  escaped  with 
my  booty. 

Esau  had  all  the  while  gazed  at  me 
in  wonder  and  with  some  joy,  for  he 
had  marked  the  broken  god,  yet  had 
he  not  understood  what  actual  occur- 
rences had  taken  place  during  my  ab- 
sence that  forenoon.  With  much 
making  of  signs  I  told  him  all  that  was 
possible,  and  when  I  held  the  great 
gems  before  his  eyes  he  blinked  and 
smiled,  dazzled  by  their  exceeding 
beauty  and  joyful  to  think  that  I  had 
overcome  the  dread  figure  that  guarded 
those  shores. 

That  night,  with  sail  hoist  over  our 
heads,  we  were  far  out  to  sea,  and  the 
land  of  strange  witchcrafts  and  fear- 
some spells  was  nowheres  to  be  seen, 
134 


The  Fearsome  Island 

while  all  around  us  stretched  and 
sighed  the  great  waters. 

Yet  one  more  mystery  came  to  pass 
ere  we  were  quit  of  the  Sorcerer's  coast 
wherein  we  had  fared  so  evilly,  and 
this  time  we  were  fortune's  favourites 
and  the  new  spell  worked  us  a  service. 

I  have  spoken  before  of  the  three 
handles  that  are  of  solid  silver  and  like 
to  those  on  a  door,  that  you  may  see 
for  yourselves  on  the  strange  barque. 
Though  now  you  may  turn  and  wrench 
these  handles  and  naught  befalls,  yet, 
when  on  the  third  day  of  our  voyage — 
and  I  have  sworn  it — I  turned  the  middle 
handle  out  of  mere  curiosity,  straight- 
way did  the  ship  proceed  with  speed 
some  ten  times  greater  than  before,  as 
though  stirred  and  pressed  forward  by 
some  strange  miracle,  like  unto  one  of 
those  that  are  told  of  in  the  Holy 
Book.  Like  an  arrow  it  clove  the 
waters  and  the  spray  danced  joyfully 
at  it  flanks,  while  the  sweet,  cool  wind 
"5 


The  Fearsome  Island 

played  on  our  faces  and  made  the  blood 
under  our  cheeks  quick  and  flush  with 
motion.  Again  I  turned  the  handle,  and 
then  the  ship  moved  as  it  had  moved 
before  with  but  a  single  sail.  Another 
handle  was  a  rudder  that  steered  mar- 
vellous sure,  so  that  when  both  spells 
were  at  work  we  progressed  with  great 
ease  and  swiftness.  For  seven  days  and 
seven  nights  we  shot  forward  like  a 
sea-bird,  although  our  sail  lay  idle 
aboard;  then  we  dropped  down  to  a 
dead  stillness,  drifting  idly  as  the  waters 
listed,  and,  though  I  turned  the 
handles  all  manner  of  ways  the  ship 
went  none  the  faster.  The  magic  that 
had  given  us  wings  had  ceased,  and  we 
rehoist  our  sail  and  went  onward  at  a 
more  natural  speed.  All  the  time  our 
eyes  were  turned  to  the  north  and  to 
the  south  and  eastwards  and  westwards, 
seeking  for  a  ship  or  a  land  where  there 
were  men,  so  that  we  might  be  informed 
as  to  what  strange  seas  we  were  sailing, 
126 


The  Fearsome  Island 

and  in  what  direction  lay  the  good  port 
of  Hythe  and  England,  my  own  native 
land. 

Though  we  had  left  the  Fearsome 
Island  and  all  its  witchcrafts  behind  us, 
yet  were  our  hardships  in  no  ways 
ended;  indeed,  when  I  think  aright, 
meseems  that  they  were  but  just  be- 
gun, for,  what  are  sudden  death  and 
dangers  quick  and  violent  compared 
to  the  slow  tortures  of  hunger  and 
thirst!  Looking  backward  in  the  en- 
forced leisure  of  our  aimless  sailing, 
and  I  had  many  a  long  hour  wherein 
to  think  of  what  was  past,  I  discovered 
that,  for  all  my  self-commiseration, 
there  was  a  certain  pleasurable  excite- 
ment mingled  with  the  fears  and  dan- 
gers I  had  encountered  during  my 
sojourn  on  the  witchcurst  land  that  I 
had  quitted.  From  one  hour  to  an- 
other I  had  been  lost  in  wonder  and 
thought,  not  knowing  what  the  next 
might  bring  forth,  and,  together  with 
127 


The  Fearsome  Island 

this  insecurity,  there  was  a  certain  se- 
cret blessing  that  I  had  not  hitherto 
recognized ;  for,  had  I  not  learned  to 
know  and  to  believe  in  myself,  and 
had  I  not  been  tried  and  tempted  as 
are  few  men;  and  was  I  not  the 
stronger  and  the  manlier  for  all  these 
wrestlings?  I  had  issued  unharmed 
from  countless  dangers,  and,  for  much 
of  my  present  safety  and  security,  I 
had  but  to  thank  my  own  ready  wit 
and  courage;  and,  on  the  day  when 
Esau  and  myself  set  out  on  our  home- 
ward voyage,  I  felt  more  of  a  man, 
aye,  a  man  strong  and  of  a  clear  brain, 
than  ever  I  had  felt  before — or  since 
either,  for  that  matter — and  it  seemed 
that,  in  spite  of  the  many  anxious  and 
troubled  days  and  nights  that  I  had 
lately  undergone,  still  had  I  much  to  be 
grateful  for. 

Yet  there  was  a  far  stronger  and  a 
more  wearisome  test   of  courage  and 
manhood    before  me  than   any  I  had 
128 


The  Fearsome  Island 

undergone,  and,  though  'twas  of  a  less 
entertaining  nature,  yet,  nevertheless, 
was  its  mark  deeper  and  more  lasting 
than  all  my  struggles  against  witchcraft 
and  black  sorcery. 

The  first  days  of  our  voyage  were 
idly  spent ;  I  had  much  to  think  on, 
and  Esau  was  content  to  watch  me 
and  prepare  our  food.  Above  our 
heads  were  blue  skies,  and  I  have  ever 
observed  that  when  the  heavens  are 
without  cloud  the  heart  of  man  doth 
also  beat  serene  and  joyful.  On  our 
setting  out  I  had  made  Esau  wear  a 
suit  of  blue  cloth  that  I  had  taken 
express  from  the  castle,  for  I  knew 
that  as  we  sailed  the  airs  would  grow 
colder  and  he  would  feel  the  lack  of 
garments.  He  wore  this  costume  for 
the  first  two  days  of  our  voyage,  and, 
though  I  could  see  that  it  irked  him, 
he  made  no  sign  of  disapproval.  On 
the  morning  of  the  third  day  he  was 
hairy  and  naked  as  before,  and,  when 
129 


The  Fearsome  Island 

I  questioned  him,  he  pointed  to  the 
waters,  and  I  could  not  but  smile,  so 
like  an  idle  child  was  he  with  his  ex- 
cuses and  shamelessness.  We  had 
fair  weather  for  the  first  two  weeks  of 
our  voyage,  and  though  this  be  a  long 
time  when  passed  on  the  open  sea  and 
with  but  a  single  companion  and  he 
devoid  of  reasonable  speech,  yet,  the 
whole  while  was  I  of  a  stout  heart  and 
exceeding  cheery.  All  these  days  we 
had  spied  neither  sail  nor  land,  though 
from  morn  till  eve  we  kept  an  eager 
watch,  and  through  the  night  we 
looked  hard  for  light  and  a  beacon.  I 
had  taught  Esau  that  seamanship  which 
was  needful  for  the  safe  conduct  of  our 
ship,  and  he  was  greatly  content  to 
serve  me,  though  marvelling  greatly 
at  the  vast  expanse  of  ocean  that 
seemed  to  have  no  ending.  By-and- 
by  the  warm  airs  through  which  we 
had  passed  grew  cooler,  and  overhead 
the  blue  of  the  sky  took  on  a  paler 
130 


The  Fearsome  Island 

hue.  The  sea  too  grew  more  boister- 
ous, and  Esau,  the  hairy  man,  that 
was  no  sailor,  was  sick  and  greatly 
troubled.  He  lay  quite  still  in  the 
cabin  with  his  two  hands  pressed  to  his 
middle,  and  the  big  tears  ran  down  the 
sides  of  his  face  and  he  made  moan 
and  groaned,  so  that  I  who  listened 
was  sore  moved  and  pitiful.  After 
awhile  the  cold  airs  took  hold  of  him 
and  he  lay  below  and  coughed  till  my 
heart  grew  heavy  within  me.  For 
some  days  we  encountered  stormy 
weather,  after  which  came  a  great  calm, 
and  for  more  than  a  week  we  lay  quite 
still,  while  our  sail  hung  idle  on  the 
mast.  By  now  we  had  lost  all  count 
of  time  and  I  was  sore  perplexed  and 
doubtful, wondering  with  some  misgiv- 
ing as  to  how  this  voyage  would  end. 
Yet  another  misfortune  was  in  store 
for  us,  for  the  provisions  that  we  had 
aboard  grew  less  and  less,  and  day 
for  day  we  ate  but  half  our  fill  and 
131 


The  Fearsome  Island 

we  were  athirst  from  morn  to  night, 
never  daring  to  drink  largely  from  our 
fast  emptying  gourds.  At  first  when 
we  encountered  the  dead  calm  I  have 
spoken  of  we  made  some  efforts  with 
our  oars,  but,  after  awhile,  our  feeble- 
ness of  mind  and  body  proved  too 
strong  and  we  were  content  to  drift 
idly,  a  prey  to  all  manner  of  hopeless 
thoughts.  Many  a  time  in  those  long 
days  did  I  wish  that  I  had  been  con- 
tent to  remain  on  the  island,  and  in 
Esau's  eyes,  that  were  large  and  re- 
proachful, I  saw  the  same  misgiving. 
Yet  now  'twas  too  late  to  turn  back, 
and  we  floated  from  night  to  morning 
with  still  another  comrade  to  bear  us 
company  and  keep  watch,  so  that  we 
were  three  on  board  the  ship,  and  our 
names  were,  Esau  and  Silas  Fordred, 
and  the  Evil  Conscience  of  Silas  For- 
dred. 

Those  days  were    overlong,   and    I 
grew  thin  and  haggard  with  thought, 
132 


The  Fearsome  Island 

hunger  and  inaction.  In  the  morning 
of  each  new  day  I  would  reflect  that  I 
had  done  what  I  had  done,  meaning  no 
harm  and  with  all  good  intent;  yet,  in 
the  afternoon,  when  for  hours  I  had 
gazed  on  Esau,  lying  quite  still  and 
with  a  deadly  cough  in  his  chest, 
groaning  heavily  from  sickness  and  evil 
nourishment,  my  conscience  smote  me, 
and  I  felt  that  I  was  both  a  brute  and 
a  fool  for  having  bartered  dry  land  and 
ample  meat  for  this  desert  of  green  sea 
that  gave  forth  nothing.  Then  I 
thought  that,  had  we  had  better  for- 
tune, and  had  we  encountered  a  vessel 
that  had  aided  us,  I  would  have  had 
no  cause  for  self-reproach.  I  pondered 
on  these  things  hour  after  hour,  and 
my  thoughts  were  but  a  circle,  and  in 
this  circle  I  wandered  continually  and 
ever,  so  that  what  my  brain  held  was 
of  little  use  to  me  and  of  much  harm. 
Greatly  and  often  did  I  fear  that  my 
reason  might  desert  me,  and  that  some 
i33 


The  Fearsome  Island 

day  I  should  be  discovered  on  the  open 
sea,  mad  and  with  a  vacant  gaze,  all 
alone  save  but  for  a  naked  savage,  and 
he  nigh  dead  from  hunger,  sickness 
and  thirst — a  pretty  picture,  truly,  and 
by  no  means  over-pleasant  to  dwell 
with  continuously. 

I  shall  write  no  more  of  there  hard- 
ships, suffice  to  say  that  I  would  not 
endure  them  over  again  for  all  the 
wealth  that  is  in  the  universe,  and, 
believe  me,  there  was  more  real  suffer- 
ing in  these  long  weeks  spent  hungry 
and  in  pain  on  the  empty  sea  than  in 
all  my  traffickings  with  sorcerers  and 
idols  of  bronze.  We  had  lost  count  of 
time  and  most  other  things,  and  every 
moment  I  was  expecting  the  ghost  of 
Esau  to  be  given  up,  when  the  good 
ship  Queen  Marie  of  Plymouth  crossed 
our  track  and  took  us  aboard.  God 
alone  knows  how  long  we  had  been 
afloat  and  how  near  I  had  been  unto 


i34 


The  Fearsome  Island 

death.  Esau,  that  was  a  naked  sav- 
age, had  less  power  of  endurance  than 
I  that  can  read  and  write  and  do  wear 
clothing,  for,  three  days  after  we  were 
rescued,  and  though  the  captain  of  the 
Queen  Marie  spared  us  no  care  or  at- 
tention, Esau,  the  hairy  man,  died  in 
my  arms.  He  had  been  greatly  ailing 
when  we  had  encountered  the  English 
barque,  coughing  much  and  being 
warm  with  fever,  and  there  was  no 
strength  left  in  him  after  the  many 
days  he  had  thirsted  and  lived  on  in- 
sufficient food.  We  buried  him  at  sea, 
and  thus,  of  all  the  four  that  had  dwelt 
on  the  Fearsome  Island,  I  alone  sur- 
vived. The  two  halves  of  Thomas 
Snoad  were  buried  on  the  sea-shore; 
Satan,  the  black  cat,  died  in  the  Dark 
Chamber,  as  I  have  narrated;  Esau, 
the  hairy  man,  died  at  sea  on  board 
the  ship  Queen  Marie  from  hunger, 
thirst,  and  sickness  brought  on  by  ex- 


i35 


The  Fearsome  Island 

posure  to  wind  and  weather,  for  he  was 
no  seaman,  but  a  naked  savage  of  the 
woods  and  dry  land. 

Thus,  alone,  did  I  return  from  the 
first  voyage  I  had  undertaken  on  my 
ship  Brave  Luck,  that  now  lies  fathoms 
deep  in  an  unknown  sea,  with  riches 
and  wealth  in  plenty,  yet  the  price  I 
had  paid  was  a  dear  one,  such  as  no 
man  dare  pay  a  second  time. 

The  captain  of  the  Queen  Marie 
had  made  my  strange  barque  with 
the  silver  handles  fast  to  his  own 
ship,  so  that  I  was  able  to  bring  it 
hither,  and,  thirteen  days  after  our 
encounter,  he  landed  me  at  Ply- 
mouth, from  which  port  I  made  my 
way  homeward,  after  rewarding  my 
rescuers  fittingly  with  thanks  and  with 
gold. 

Thus  did  I  return  once  more  to 
Hythe,  and,  hear  ye,  I  have  written 
the  truth  and  naught  but  what  these 


136 


The  Fearsome  Island 

eyes  have  seen,  and  may  God  and  the 
Virgin  save  me  if  I  speak  untrue. 
(Signed)         Silas  Fordred, 

Master  Mariner  of  Hythe. 
Witnessed  by 

Evan  the  Welshman, 
Town  Clerk. 
Dated  February  jd,  1660. 


APPENDIX 

SUCH  is  the  narrative  of  Silas  For- 
dred,  master  mariner  of  Hythe, 
the  cinque  port  in  the  county  of  Kent. 
Now  on  reading  this  strange  story  I 
was  greatly  perplexed.  It  seemed  dif 
ficult  to  believe  that  this  direct  Eliza- 
bethan mariner  had  fabricated  the 
string  of  events  here  reproduced,  for, 
by  his  own  showing,  he  was  a  plain 
and  simple  man,  without  overmuch  im- 
agination or  phantasy,  and  I  found  it 
indeed  hard,  with  my  extended  knowl- 
edge of  man  and  woman,  to  set  down 
this  yarn  of  Silas  Fordred's  as  one 
huge  lie  from  beginning  to  end,  as  a 
man  of  shorter  sight  and  less  penetra- 
tion might  have  set  it  down.  Often  I 
pondered  over  the  strange  land  of  the 
bronze  idol  and  what  had  happened 
138 


Appendix 

there,  and  the  only  clue  I  had  to  the 
mystery  was  the  inscription  in  tall 
ebony  letters: 

"  DIGO  RODRICOVEZ," 
which  in  truth  was  little  help  to  me. 
Yet  for  many  months  these  two  words 
remained  in  my  head,  and  often  have 
I  seen  them  stand  out  clear  and  black 
before  my  eyes. 

Everything  comes  to  him  that  waits, 
so  that  one  day  as  I  was  burrowing 
among  some  old  volumes  in  the  great 
library  of  the  British  Museum,  I  ran 
across  a  large  folio  bound  in  brown 
leather  and  printed  in  the  Spanish 
tongue.  In  that  language  was  in- 
scribed on  the  title  page :  The  Life  and 
Adventures  of  Don  Diego  Rodriguez. 
Again  the  words  "  DIGO  RODRI- 
COVEZ "  came  back  to  me,  and 
eagerly  I  read  page  after  page  of  the 
great  volume. 

From  it  I  gathered  that  Don  Diego 
Rodriguez  was  a  man   of  much  cun- 
»39 


Appendix 

ning,  with  great  learning  and  skill  in 
alchemy.  Towards  the  end  of  the  fif- 
teenth century  he  had  become  Grand 
Inquisitor  of  Spain,  and  in  that  capa- 
city had  devised  machines  of  so  fiend- 
ish a  nature  that  his  brother  inquisitors 
had  held  a  council  at  which  it  was  con- 
clusively proved  that  Don  Diego  was 
in  league  with  the  Devil,  and  it  was 
furthermore  decided  that  for  the  wel- 
fare and  safety  of  the  State,  it  were 
well  that  the  Grand  Inquisitor  should 
leave  the  country  and  take  his  hellish 
inventions  elsewhere;  for  no  man, 
were  he  Cardinal  or  the  King's  own 
self,  was  safe,  as  the  Don  could  kill 
without  leaving  wound  or  sign  of  poi- 
son or  other  witness.  In  the  same 
year  as  that  in  which  the  council  was 
held,  Don  Diego  had  left  Spain  in  a 
curious  vessel  of  his  own  construction, 
that  had  neither  mast  nor  sail  nor  gal- 
ley-slave. He  took  with  him  the 
whole  of  his  vast  wealth,  and,  such 
i4o 


Appendix 

was  the  dread  that  men  had  of  him, 
that  no  one  made  effort  to  deprive  him 
of  his  ill-gotten  treasure.  His  sole 
companion  was  a  girl  child,  reputed  to 
be  his  daughter,  and  thus  he  set  off 
across  the  ocean. 

The  rest  of  his  life  is  shrouded  in 
some  mystery,  and  there  is  no  absolute 
certainty  as  to  his  [further  movements. 
Rumour  hath  it  that  he  reached  an 
island,  presumably  one  of  the  West 
Indies,  where  he  landed  and  caused 
the  natives  to  build  him  a  great  castle ; 
also,  that  as  soon  as  this  was  accomp- 
lished he  set  to  work  to  depopulate 
the  island  by  means  of  the  same  hellish 
inventions  that  were  the  cause  of  his 
banishment. 

Such  in  brief  was  the  story  of  Don 
Diego  Rodriguez,  whom  I  hold  to  be 
identical  with  Silas  Fordred's  "  DIGO 
RODRICOVEZ,"  and,  seeing  that  Silas 
had  but  his  memory  and  an  imperfect 
education  to  trust  to,  there  is  little  to 
141 


Appendix 

wonder  at  in  the  fact  that  the  Hythe 
seaman  should  so  misspell  what  he  had 
but  read  long  months  before. 

What  makes  me  further  incline  to  an 
implicit  belief  in  this  theory  is,  that 
among  other  marvels  accredited  to  the 
Don  was  the  power  of  making  perma- 
nent the  reflection  of  a  human  face  in 
a  mirror,  a  discovery  somewhat  akin  to 
our  modern  art  of  photography.  This 
will  account  for  the  figure  behind  the 
red  silk  curtain,  doubtless  a  reproduc- 
tion of  the  Don's  own  features.  The 
reappearance  of  this  figure  when  Silas 
was  escaping  to  his  ship  with  the  dia- 
monds was  no  doubt  due  to  the  sea- 
man's evil  conscience — merely  an  hallu- 
cination of  an  excited  brain.  Most  of 
the  other  so-called  marvels  were  skil- 
fully constructed  machines  that  any 
mechanical  engineer  of  the  present  day 
could  double ;  that  such  was  the  case  is 
amply  proved  by  the  failure  from  rust 
and  unuse  of  the  mechanism  that 
142 


Appendix 

worked  the  giant  sword-blade  that 
Silas  encountered  in  the  great  hall. 
Further,  I  have  little  doubt  but  that  the 
"Hag  of  the  Turret"  was  the  identical 
girl-child,  grown  old,  that  accom- 
panied Don  Diego  when  he  left  Spain ; 
naturally,  Silas  Fordred  saw  in  this 
bearded  old  woman  a  "  witch  "  and  a 
M  sorceress,"  and  most  men  of  his  day, 
even  those  of  birth  and  education, 
would  have  arrived  at  a  similar  conclu- 
sion, especially  after  the  episodes  that 
preceded  the  encounter.  The  hairy 
man,  Esau,  was  in  all  probability  an 
aboriginal  native,  one,  or  the  child  of 
one,  that  had  escaped  the  Don's 
clutches. 

I  have  only  to  add  that,  in  my  hum- 
ble opinion,  it  must  have  been  Don 
Diego  Rodriguez,  and  not  Christo- 
pher Columbus,  that  really  discovered 
America. 


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